


Voluntary Change

by EternallyGaea



Category: Avengers (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:22:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 84,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26631325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternallyGaea/pseuds/EternallyGaea
Summary: After the failed invasion of Earth, Loki is forced to answer for his crimes against Asgard, Jotunheim and Midgard. Banished to a mortal life on Earth, Loki must contend with starting over. After meeting a ragtag team of scientists, Loki finds himself roped into their lives, unraveling the mysteries of the land of which they study and his connections to it.
Relationships: Loki/OC
Comments: 5
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

He felt their eyes on him. It was a penetrating feeling, as they watched him, asking themselves what had happened. How could it have gone so wrong? How could he have brought such shame to his family? Where was the man that held such promise? He felt the anger inside him rise as these thoughts rushed his mind. He walked as the crowd around him watched carefully, allowing the spectacle to unfold in front of them. The air was heavy and stern, the crowd adding to the tension.

Anger burned within him as the guards on either side of him clutched his arms even tighter, ensuring no escape. The cuffs around his wrists felt especially tight, but he figured that was the point. He kept his head low, purposefully ignoring the large and beautiful hall surrounding him. His eyes stared ahead of him. Shame was not a feeling on his radar right now. Instead, fury and defiance were what kept him walking. Despite his failings, his mistakes, and his choices, he refused to feel remorse for his actions. He did what he did for a reason, and to him, it made sense. Unfortunately, that perspective was not shared by those he was now facing, standing directly ahead of him.

Odin, the All Father, Ruler of the Nine Realms, stood high above the crowds in front of his throne. He held strongly onto his staff as he watched his youngest son escorted toward him. His oldest son, Thor, stood to his right, witnessing the same sight unfold. As Odin watched his son, heaviness laced itself throughout his heart. He had always known his youngest son had a deviant side, but he never thought it would culminate to this. Yet today, his worst fears were being realized, and today it was he who had to deal directly with what was in front of him. He felt the same heaviness emanating from his lovely wife Frigga, mother of both Thor and the youngest son now making his way toward them. Frigga's pain was far more apparent as she struggled to remain stoic, standing slightly behind Odin. Despite her discipline, small tears slowly made their way down her face.

The guards stopped stone faced at the bottom of the grand staircase in front of Odin, Thor, Frigga, and the other warriors flanking the high royalty. Odin took a step forward and allowed his staff to hit the ground, the sound reverberating throughout the entire hall. Despite his own pain, he still had a job to do. The man flanked by the guards kept his head low, narrowing his eyes and staring sternly ahead of him. It was beginning.

"Citizens of Asgard,” he started, addressing the expansive crowd. He allowed his eyes to sweep over of crowd before continuing. “We are gathered here today to attend to a matter of great importance. In our efforts to protect The Nine Realms, it is our responsibility to eliminate all threats, in order to maintain peace. It has been the duty of Asgard since time began to keep the peace of The Nine Realms. However, even we can be guilty of disturbing that very peace," he paused, taking a moment to look over the expansive crowd. "Today, we are to remedy this matter and smooth the waters which were disturbed, and bring order back to the universe," Odin continued. He took a stern look at his son standing below him.

"Loki. Odinson,” he began, addressing the man firmly, standing sternly below him. “You have been brought here today to face the consequences of the crimes you have committed against Asgard, Jotunheim, and Earth. You are here to face your recklessness and disregard for the safety of the Nine Realms your actions have inflicted. You are here to take responsibility for your actions and provide an example to any and all people of Asgard. For despite your royal lineage and citizenship, should you or any other Asgardian pose a threat to any of the Nine Realms, you will not be immune to a punishment equally proportionate to your crimes," Odin stated, allowing the words to sink in. "You have been charged with war crimes against Asgard, Jotunheim, and Earth, and as a result, have been deemed a danger to the remaining Nine Realms. Do you acknowledge and understand the charges brought against you?" Odin stated strongly, his voice filling the enormous hall.

Loki kept his eyes low, more anger building within him. Oh he understood the charges alright. But he would not allow them to win. Defiantly he lifted his eyes to meet his father, staring in the one good eye Odin still had. He hoped Odin could feel the rage emanating from him.

"Yes," he stated strongly, forcefully remaining as resistant as possible. He wanted them all to understand that he was still a force to be reckoned with, and that the war was far from over. He allowed his eyes to briefly drift to the man he used to call his brother, who from a distance looked as immoveable as his father. Yet having a closer proximity to him, Loki saw a small crease in Thor's brow.

Inside Loki scoffed.

He couldn't believe that after all Loki had done to Thor as of late, including multiple attempts on Thor's life, Thor still held on to hope for Loki. Silly fool. Loki wanted to see Thor's rage. He wanted to see Thor succumb to the true feelings of anger he must have against him. But instead, Thor appeared to be holding onto the past – days gone by where Loki suppressed his deviant and more mischievous side. And for what? Only for Thor to succeed him to the throne while he was left passed over. He had worked so hard back then to be everything his family wanted. And yet, Thor always remained the favorite. No matter what Loki did, it was never enough in the eyes of Odin.

A mischievous smile snaked its way across Loki's face as he thought of those days growing up with Thor. For Thor they were pleasant memories, but for Loki, they were torturous reminders of everything he wasn't. He smiled as he imagined those memories being ripped from Thor's hands, like a vicious wind catching them and tearing them to shreds. Thor was living a lie, and Loki was determined to do everything he could to prove that to him.

Loki was shaken from his vision when Odin's voice boomed before him once again.

"Upon your acceptance of these charges, you are to be sentenced with a punishment exacting the crimes you have committed," Odin started, grasping his spear even more tightly. Loki looked directly up at the All Father and did not dare divert his gaze.

"Upon the deliberation of the royalty of Asgard, the royal counselors, and veteran warriors of Asgard, it has been determined you are not worthy of your title, your status, or the power granted to you from your birth," Odin went on. He felt a tightness in his chest as he came closer to the fate facing Loki. But he knew it needed to be done, and forced himself to continue on, reminding himself that Loki now was no different than any other enemy of Asgard. "It has been decided that you are to be sentenced to exile, officially initiated by the kingdom of Asgard. You are to be stripped of your title, status, and power, and are to be sentenced to a mortal life on Earth. You will be sentenced to a life among the very people you attacked, and cut off from Asgard. Upon your exile, you will be subject to persecution by the people of Earth and will have to answer for your crimes in whatever fashion they find suitable,” Odin decreed, refusing to break eye contact with his son. “Do you understand the sentence which has just been explained to you?" Odin asked, watching Loki carefully.

Loki kept his eyes forward and blinked. Of course they would give him the same sentence his brother Thor had once endured. Constantly they would compare him to Thor. What result did they truly expect from Loki? The same outcome as Thor? Loki burned inside. He was _not_ Thor. Why should he face the same punishment? He remained silent, allowing this thought to weave its way through his mind. Again, Odin pulled him from his anger.

“Do you understand?" he asked again, more forcefully this time.

Loki again looked directly at the All Father.

"Yes," he stated defiantly once more. His voice did not falter.

Odin paused, surveying Loki. He tried to see if his son would give any sign of a plan of escape or if he had anything up his sleeve. But if Loki was hiding something, Odin determined his son was extremely good at it, for he could see no sign of anything amiss from him. He expected the anger and defiance, and if Loki only knew how hard this was for Odin he might not be so angry. However, Odin also knew the rage which fueled Loki, and he knew it not only made Loki blind, but it made him even more dangerous and willing to do whatever was necessary for others to see his point of view. He addressed his son with one last question.

"Do you have anything you wish to say in regard to this sentence or the crimes of which you have been charged?"

Loki paused. Anything to say? Oh, he had tons he could say to these people. Over and over in his mind he was imagining their deaths in dozens of horrific ways. He could even mutter a few words that would send them into writhing pain if he wanted to. It would certainly offer enough of a distraction for an escape attempt. But he also knew Odin. He knew Odin was a wise man, and would have prepared for anything Loki could dish out. And given the security around this "ceremony" of sorts, whatever attempt he could make would not be enough time to allow him the freedom he craved.

He tried to think of a question or statement pertinent to this situation which wasn't centered around his rage. The only question he could come up with was - how long? How long was he to remain in exile? The same amount of time as Thor? Longer? As much as he wanted to ask the question, he decided to keep it to himself. What did it matter how long? He was being stripped of everything. And given he was to be made a mortal, perhaps his sentence would be until his death - which could make it shorter than Thor's ever was, depending on how long he could survive on Earth. In a way, that could make it a blessing. Or a curse.

Again he stared at Odin. He stubbornly refused to give him the satisfaction of a response displaying his displeasure at his current predicament.

"No," he stated strongly. Let his silence disturb the crowd. They could make up whatever feelings they thought he had.

"So be it," Odin replied with a finality that even Loki felt was permanent. His fate was now sealed. Odin addressed the crowd once more. "Given that the accused has no closing arguments, this sentencing has now come to an end," Odin stated. He looked to Loki, addressing him once more. "The sentence will be carried out tonight at dusk," he directed at his youngest son. The statement hit Odin like he had been dealt a physical blow. Despite his role and the All Father and King of The Nine Realms, he wanted more time to apologize to his son, for all he had done wrong as a father to Loki. He wanted to undo the pain, and bring everything back to the way things were, before it had gone so horribly wrong. But as a king and protector of The Nine Realms, he needed to choose the lesser of two evils. With a heavy heart he hoped one day Loki would understand his actions. He didn't know if that day would ever come, but he could only hope.

Despite the heaviness in his heart, Odin addressed the crowd one last time.

"Let this be an example to the people of Asgard, that we do not tolerate any amount of disloyalty, treason, or terrorism, whether against Asgard or dispensed from it. We are a people of peace, and we must maintain the balance of the universe at all costs. It is our duty, our responsibility, and our honor," he finalized, allowing his staff to strike the floor once more, the sound again reverberating throughout the hall, and through the noise of the now cheering crowd. He looked to Loki, who maintained his defiant stare, signaling for the guards to take him away and back to his holding cell. The guards gripped Loki's arms tightly, pulling him back in the direction of which they had entered. He slightly jerked his body, attempting to show his discomfort of their escort. But they held on strong, refusing to let go. As he walked, his back to the All Father, he could swear he felt his father's gaze upon him. Slowly he looked back, and indeed met eyes with his father one more time, but the moment was short lived, as Loki was jerked back by the guards to continue on. Odin knew why he looked back, and despite his stern appearance, silently prayed for his youngest son. His soul was truly in the hands of the universe now.


	2. Ch. 2

The hours felt like days as Loki sat in his cell, awaiting his fate at dusk. He briefly smiled - perhaps the waiting was another form of torture. Well played Odin. The cell he was in had no windows, making him unable to gauge the time of day by the sunlight, but he figured he had but an hour until his sentence would be upon him. Unlike Thor, he did not know the feeling of being stripped of his power, and despite his fight to be strong, he did feel fear rising within him in anticipation of the weakness he would be experiencing. Would it hurt? How long would the pain last? Being stripped of his title and status, he could handle. But his power? That which was granted to him from his birth? He had never truly gone without it, and the vulnerability did scare him. His senses were sharpened with his power, and his manipulative abilities of the environment around him were what gave him his edge on the battlefield. But soon he would be defenseless – in enemy territory no less. He took a breath. He needed to store as much strength as necessary for what was ahead of him.

He heard the squeaking of a door open beyond the glass of his cell where two guards walked in. He looked up, his heart rate increasing despite his efforts to remain calm. Had he misjudged the time? Was it later than he had estimated? Two guards flanked the entrance and between them walked in a graceful figure Loki had known his entire life. His adoptive mother Frigga, entered the room, a beautiful hood covering her long and graceful hair. She looked to Loki, reaching up to lower the hood of the cloak shielding her from the coldness of the dungeons. Loki stood, waiting for the inevitable. Frigga approached the glass, a saddened expression upon her face.

"I assume it is time," Loki spoke. Her lip trembled slightly, but she remained composed.

"Not quite. You have time yet," she replied, pausing for a moment. "But I had to see you," she admitted, placing a hand on the magically fortified glass of Loki's cell. The glass reacted to her touch, intricate golden patterns radiating out from her hand, reinforcing its strength.

"What can I do for you?" Loki asked, an icy tinge in his voice. He didn't mean to sound so cold, but he couldn't help let his anger rise once again.

"Loki," Frigga began. It was so hard for her to continue. To watch either of her children suffer was a fate worse than death. He was one of her babies. She had watched him grow from a tiny infant to the handsome man who stood in front of her now. A small smile crept onto her face.

"What?" Loki asked, curious of her expression.

She looked down briefly.

"I was just thinking of you when you were a baby. You were the sweetest little thing I had ever seen. Your eyes were always so big and full of wonderment, as if you had millions of questions about the world around you," she smiled weakly. "And you did. You questioned everything," she paused, looking down briefly. She raised her eyes to him once more. "You were so smart from the very beginning," she went on, her eyes beginning to glisten. Loki softened at his mother's emotion.

"Well, I fail to look very smart now," Loki admitted, referring to his current surroundings, his hand extending and gesturing to his cell.

Frigga looked up to him.

"No Loki," she started. There was a fierceness in her eyes he could swear he had never seen before. "You are still so very smart,” she stated, permanence laced within her voice. She refused to break eye contact with her son. “Intelligence is your gift Loki. And despite what Odin plans to take away from you, your intelligence is something not even he can remove."

Loki sighed. He looked down and then to his mother again.

"How can you still believe in me? After everything I have done?" Loki asked. It was one of the few times he had been honest with himself. He knew the difference between right and wrong, but lately, his anger at the world was what blinded him.

"You think me a fool?" she asked, seeing where his mind was going.

He raised his eyebrows slightly.

"In a way, yes," he answered. He did not mean any offense. But all the evidence mounted against him definitely pointed to the contrary. His mother was living in denial; a fool's paradise. Perhaps that was where Thor got it from. Frigga's gaze remained strong on Loki.

"I am not a fool Loki," she stated strongly. "I am your mother," she paused.

Loki looked to her, a wave of guilt washing over him. Frigga had not ever been his enemy. She was always the more benevolent figure in his life, and provided nothing but love and care for both him and Thor.

"I'm sorry," Loki apologized, sighing slightly and looking away from his mother.

"I'm not," Frigga replied. Loki looked up to her, confusion on his face. "You are my son Loki, and you could not ever disappoint me. No matter your faults, I will always love you. You need to remember that," she said, strength present in her voice. "I will never lose hope for you. For you are not a lost cause Loki. You are strong, and you are smart, and you have that advantage over every obstacle which faces you," she expounded, her face very close to the glass. She wanted so badly to hold her son. She wanted to keep him safe and not let any more hurt in. But given his current situation, her encouraging words were the best she could do.

"Mother," Loki stated, an ounce of fear laced in his voice. He placed a hand on the glass, matching hers on the opposite side. He hated admitting his own fear creeping up on him.

"No matter what happens, remain strong Loki. Never stop fighting. You have everything you need to overcome the odds," She encouraged him. Her brow was creased with emotion and tears threatened to slide down her cheeks, but she continued on. "Promise me you will stay strong," she requested.

Loki looked to her and then down. He didn't feel strong. He felt much more like a failure. He shouldn't have even been having this conversation with his mother. He should be free. He should be in good accordance with the royalty of which he was a part. He should be fighting for the good of Asgard, not against it. All of the possibilities of what he should have been flooded his mind, making him feel even weaker than he already did. Frigga saw it on his face.

"Loki, promise me," she said more forcefully, a tear running down her cheek.

Loki looked up to her. Despite what he should have been, it didn't change what and where he was now. He could either dwell on the past or move on to the future. In that moment, he chose the latter. He met her gaze intently.

"I promise," he replied, a small bit of strength weaving its way through him.

Frigga allowed a small smile shine through her tears. Her fingers curled against the glass in an attempt to touch her son's hand on the opposite side. Loki kept his gaze on his mother, as if to hold onto the moment as long as possible, when suddenly there was an abrupt clanking of the spears on the dungeon floor from the guards flanking the door.

Both Loki and Frigga looked in the direction of the door to see four more guards enter the room, followed by the strong figure of Thor. He first looked at Frigga and slightly nodded, acknowledging her presence. She looked to him, her heart racing, knowing what Thor's presence meant. He looked to Loki behind the glass beyond Frigga.

"It is time," Thor stated, keeping his gaze on Loki. He tried to remain as objective as possible, but even he could not deny some sadness washing over him.

Frigga turned to look back at Loki, who looked more stoic than anything else. But she could swear she saw his brow slightly furrow in worry. She nodded to Loki.

"Remember your promise," she reminded him. Loki looked to her again.

He nodded, stepping away from the glass, as the guards flanking Thor approached the cell, deactivating the glass and walking in to bind Loki one last time. As the guards escorted him out, he looked to Frigga, his heart pounding. He knew he promised to be strong, but it was proving very hard for him.

"Wait," Frigga instructed, the guards stopping. She approached Loki, the guards parting around him. She looked into his eyes, realizing this might be the last time she would ever see him. She reached up and placed her arms around her son, embracing him strongly.

"I lost you once before, and last time I was forced to mourn for your loss. This time I will not mourn. Instead, I will send my love your way, and wherever you are, I hope you feel it," she explained strongly, holding him for a few moments. "I love you so much Loki," she said between tears. Loki wished he could embrace her properly to comfort her, but seeing as his arms were bound, the most he could do was lean into her. She kissed him gently on his cheek. She leaned back and placed a hand on his cheek, looking deep into his eyes. "Do not be afraid," she said with purpose, and a small smile on her face.

Despite Loki's fear, a small part of him felt the warmth of her final statement. He looked at her and nodded. She was right, and he needed to keep the promise he had made to her. He nodded one last time, communicating he was ready. Frigga nodded back, and looked to Thor.

"You may take him," she instructed, allowing the guards to surround him once more. Thor allowed the guards to walk ahead of him, and then followed as they and Loki left down the dungeon corridor. Frigga stayed behind in the room for a moment. She stood stoically for a moment, as if to separate herself from the situation unfolding around her. But despite her strength, she felt the sadness overtake her and the sobs start, her hands rising to cover her face as she collapsed on her knees to the floor. She could control her sadness no longer. Her heart ached in a way she had not felt before, and the echoes of her sobs reverberated off of the dungeon walls. She continued to sob, when she felt the warmth of hands on her shoulders.

"Mother," a warm voice said. It was Thor, coming back to comfort her. She didn't have words for Thor, only sobs fighting their way through her. Thor embraced his mother and allowed her to sob against his chest. "I'm sorry Mother," he comforted, rubbing his hand over her back gently. It was hard for him to see his mother in this state, but he did what he could to comfort her. He looked in the direction of the dungeon corridor, where he had instructed the guards to wait while he went back for his mother. He wondered if Loki could hear her sobs.

Thor hoped he could. He hoped it would make Loki realize the pain he had brought to their family. But listening to the sobs of his mother saddened him as well, realizing what they meant. Once again, their family was being ripped apart from within. Whether or not Loki could hear his mother's cries, Thor hoped Loki would finally realize the errors of his ways and see what it was doing to the people in his life. And he hoped Loki cared enough to do something about it.

Thor helped his mother up off the floor and looked into her eyes.

"Everything is going to be alright," he reassured. Frigga looked to her eldest son, more tears threatening to escape her. She then looked in the direction of the corridor where she knew Loki currently was.

"I know," she said, gathering her strength. She took a breath. What needed to be done, needed to be done. She would need to deal with it as it came and continue to adhere to the natural order of things.

"Mother, we need to go. They are expecting us," Thor urged gently. He hated having to force her into this hurt, but it was necessary.

"Of course," she acknowledged. Thor offered his arm to escort her from the dungeon, but she ignored it, breaking away from her son, and instead strongly walked ahead to the corridor. If she was going to urge Loki to be strong, she needed to exhibit it herself. Thor lowered his arm and followed his mother, as they, the group of guards and their prisoner made their way to long pathway of the Bifrost.


	3. Ch. 3

Thor, Loki and Frigga found Odin, Heimdall, the Warriors Three, Lady Sif, and the royal counselors all assembled at the front of the Bifrost, awaiting Loki's sentence. Upon seeing them waiting for him, Loki felt his anger rise once again. It figures they'd want to witness the stripping of his powers and his exile into the mortal world of Earth. Yes, what a spectator sport he must make. He felt his hide harden as he once again built of wall of loathing around himself.

The Asgardian sun was low in the sky, the oranges and pinks illuminated behind the Golden Palace. Those colors flowed into the darker blues and blacks of the universe as the group approached the Bifrost, the means of transport from Asgard to the other Nine Realms. Normally Loki appreciated that beautiful transition of colors everyday, but today was not the day to be focused on the sky – except maybe for the fact that he would be flying through it shortly.

"Father," Thor greeted, nodding to the King of the Nine Realms. "We have brought you the war criminal Loki, as you requested," he reported.

"Very well," Odin replied, nodding back to Thor, where Thor then took his place next to his father. Odin looked to the guards surrounding Loki. "You may escort him into the Bifrost," he instructed, the guards and Loki moving toward the entrance. Loki and the guards made their way into the golden circular structure of the Bifrost, while the rest of the group standing outside slowly filtered in, filling in on either side of the center dais in the middle of the structure. Odin took to the center along with Heimdall, Loki and his guards.

Odin looked to Loki, and then looked to the various members of the royalty and royal court, addressing them in the same manner as he had in the grand hall.

"High court and royalty of Asgard, we are gathered here today to fulfill the sentence of the war criminal, Loki. He has been sentenced for his crimes against Asgard, Jotunheim, and Earth, and subsequently is to be sentenced to a mortal life on Earth. Stripped of his title, status, and power," he explained once more. Odin knew this was all said before, but in order to make it an official sentence carried out by Asgard, it had to be repeated. He also wanted to weigh the severity of the crimes heavily on Loki. After all, the purpose of sentencing criminals was to teach the convicted a lesson to be learned from. Odin set his eye upon Loki.

"Loki. Odinson," he began, using his own name as Loki's last name. Even though Loki was adopted, Odin was the one to raise Loki from when he was an infant. Odin was the one to rescue Loki on that fateful day of battle between the Asgardians and Jotuns - an infant abandoned in the heat of battle. Both he and Frigga were the ones who taught Loki the ways of Asgardian life, raising him as an Asgardian prince, and fulfilling within him the same promise they had Thor. Both Odin and Frigga bestowed love unto him as their son.

However, everything changed when the dark secret behind their youngest son had been revealed - a secret both he and Frigga had kept from Loki in an attempt to protect him. But despite Odin and Frigga's protection, once Loki had discovered he was a Jotun - blood of the Frost Giants and mortal enemies of Asgard - he immediately realized he was no longer qualified for the Asgardian throne. With feelings of immense betrayal, the true weight of this discovery hit Loki like a fatal blow. He not only had to contend with his true lineage, but also the fact that this very lineage was what he had been brought up to believe was the enemy of Asgard - and an enemy he'd been taught to hate and fear. And once this evidence was out in the open, Loki knew exactly what it meant for him. By the time Loki's discovery had reached the kingdom it was too late for Frigga and Odin to undo the damage. All of the anger and betrayal built within Loki could be contained no longer, and boiled over like an angry cauldron. Before Frigga and Odin could intervene, Loki had already sought revenge upon his brother Thor, everyone and everything which would satisfy Loki's violent appetite for retribution, and as a result, many casualties occurred in his wake and fury.

A slightly saddened expression briefly overtook Odin's face. He knew he should treat Loki like any other criminal, but this was a very different situation. Odin was still Loki's father. He took a half step closer to Loki and reached out a hand, laying it upon his shoulder. "It is with a heavy heart that I punish you today," he started, a small sadness in his voice. "I never wished to see this day come," Odin paused. Despite his training to remain strong in these types of situations, he found himself softening just slightly. Loki's eyes briefly travelled to Odin's hand upon his shoulder, but soon quickly returned to meet Odin's gaze once again. "Yet here it is upon us," Odin said solemnly. He spoke softer, realizing he was stepping out of the official guidelines when it came to dealing with a criminal. He took a breath, unsure of the best words to use next. "I hope, one day, you will be able to forgive me," Odin finally stated, deciding this was the truest statement he could make for the occasion. He stepped back and spoke louder so the crowd could hear him again. "Upon your exile, you are permitted a final statement. Do you have anything you wish to say?"

Loki looked around. He saw his mother, trying to remain strong for him. He saw Thor, watching with a cloak of sadness about him. He felt like the warriors and the rest were ogling him like he was a steer headed for slaughter. His father's words touched him slightly - but only slightly. His anger at him far overshadowed his forgiveness of him. Odin had committed the greatest form of treason against him, and it was a crime he would not forget easily. And Thor, blinded by his succession of the throne, when it would come to him one day. How could he believe Loki wouldn't have been upset by that? Had Thor never realized their entire childhood was a competition between them? A way to see who was better suited to be the next king of Asgard. And of course Thor was the first choice, because Loki could never seem to measure up to Thor's impetuousness and reckless behavior. If Loki was so smart, as his mother appeared to so strongly believe, how was his intelligence not good enough for the succession to the Asgardian throne? Surely a quality such as intelligence would out weigh the brutishness of Thor. But given his current standing within the kingdom and this predicament, evidently it did not. The anger built in Loki once again and he lowered his gaze, staring icily forward, narrowing his eyes.

"Any words I utter will merely fall upon deaf ears," Loki stated with finality, his arrogance getting the better of him. He looked to Frigga, whose brow appeared especially furrowed. So much for remaining strong. He was failing already. He snapped his gaze back in front of him. Seeing the hurt in his mother's eyes was almost more than he could bear.

Odin gazed at his youngest son, knowing the anger he felt. He felt sorry for him. Loki was so misunderstood. But it didn't change the fact that he was now a criminal, and his actions needed to be accounted for. Odin's expression hardened, as he braced for his next move.

"Very well," he replied. He looked over to Heimdall, who waited patiently for Odin's orders. "Heimdall," he instructed, nodding. Heimdall knew exactly what Odin was asking, and he strode over to the dais at the center of the room. His enormous sword in hand and at the ready, Heimdall attentively awaited Odin's request to activate the Bifrost. Odin turned back to Loki.

"Loki Odinson, you are hereby sentenced to a mortal life on Earth. It has been decided you are to be stripped of your title, status, and power," he paused, nodding to the guards as they moved to hold onto his arms and shackles, their weapons at the ready in the event of an escape attempt. At the tightening of their grip, despite Loki's fury, Odin could swear he saw a flicker of fear flash across Loki's eyes. "No longer are you considered a prince of Asgard, a member of the high court, nor a protector of the Nine Realms," Odin continued. Odin then repositioned his staff and held it with both hands, pointing the ornamental end at Loki. "And it is with this staff that I, Odin, King of Asgard and All Father of the Nine Realms, do hereby remove your power endowed to you from your birth."

With the last statement, and Odin pointing the staff at Loki, he began to utter some words in a language even Loki couldn't identify. As Odin recited what sounded to Loki like an incantation, he felt as though Odin's voice was growing louder, the odd sounding language seeming to take ahold of him, its sharp quality burying itself within his being like sharpened hooks. It was unlike anything Loki had ever experienced, but the slurry of words grew louder and seemed to not only surround him, but to invade him. As Odin continued, an unfamiliar sensation started deep within Loki. At first it was like a slight vibration, felt deep within his abdomen. Loki looked down toward his stomach at the sensation, but it only took a few seconds for the sensation to change, and was replaced by a searing pain which shot through Loki's entire being. He nearly doubled over as a result of the shock, his legs going weak from not only the pain, but from Odin's incantation. Golden streams of light surrounded him, flowing around him in erratic patterns. Despite his pain, he could see what appeared to be small streams of gold and green flowing from his body, combining with that of the larger streams which surrounded him. He cried out as another wave of pain washed over him, now his arms and legs weakened by the quick draining of his power and energy. The guards holding him were forced to support his weight as he slumped over in pain and weakness, using all his energy just to hold his head up to look toward Odin.

As Odin recited the incantation, Loki saw his power being ripped from him and flowing directly into Odin's staff. To Loki, it was like watching the last of his life essence drain away, helpless to do anything about it. Pain ripped through him and he cried out again. Frigga's tears were streaming down her face as she watched her son in agony. She instinctively made a lunge toward Loki, as if to save him from his torture, but Thor stopped her, grabbing her arms. She swiftly turned to Thor, an intense look in her eye. But he merely met her gaze and shook his head. She ripped one of her arms away from Thor's grasp and turned toward Loki once more. In the moment she turned to face Loki, she saw Odin signal Heimdall to activate the Bifrost, and he inserted the enormous sword into the dais, causing the circular structure of the Bifrost to begin to spin. Frigga looked up and watched the structure around her move and quickly gain speed. She watched as the structure began to reposition its outlet point, lowering and aiming in the direction of Earth. Her eyes again landed on Loki, and over the noise of the Bifrost, the wind of the spell Odin was using, and Loki's screams, she heard Odin's booming voice.

"I now proclaim you banished to Earth and away from the opulence of Asgard! May the Gods of the Nine Realms, Jotunheim, and Earth exercise mercy upon your soul," he bellowed above the noise and chaos. He gave one great flourish of his staff, waving it around him, its ornamental end glowing bright gold, having absorbed all of Loki's power. He then pointed the end toward Loki one last time, the Bifrost now spinning at top speed and the portal ready for transport. Bracing himself, a bright golden orange light shot from Odin's staff, illuminating the entire inside of the Bifrost.

Having only an ounce of energy to look up to his father, the stream of energy headed straight for him and reflected brightly in Loki's eyes. In the split second it took for the energy to travel to Loki, Odin could have sworn he saw a flicker of remorse in Loki's eyes. But as soon as the emotion had appeared, it had gone, and Loki was struck by the full force of the power emanating from Odin's staff, pushing him into the portal behind him. The guards holding him jumped quickly out of the way as their prisoner was ripped from their grasp, and forced out into the universe, now catapulted into the unknown of Earth.


	4. Ch. 4

She studied the sample intently, taking her magnifying glass and bringing it up to her eye with the sample directly underneath. This particular sample proved fairly complex, deep reds shimmering in between the darker browns and blacks. As she studied the rock, she took a moment to jot down a note in her journal regarding the specimen. This metamorphic rock was from Arizona, a part of the country which millions of years ago had been volcanically active. The garnets in the sample indicated heat and pressure deep within the Earth had altered this rock in order to make it what it was today. Vanessa jotted down a few more notes and measurements. She smiled, realizing that she was holding a part of the Earth's history in the palm of her hand that was truly millions of years old. Given she was a geologist, one would think that thought would lose its luster, but it never failed to for Vanessa. What could she say? She had a deep appreciation for things which were very old.

She felt a familiar sensation overtake her as she handled the rock in her hands. It was merely a formality, looking at the sample under the magnifying glass and using the fancy equipment in the lab to do her work. Her colleagues and superiors certainly appreciated the traditional way of studying rocks. But Vanessa preferred her own special method of study, which happened to be very different than anything any of her colleagues could identify with. In fact, her method of study was something they could only hope to dream of.

She felt the rock in her hand and its weight. As she handled the sample, she felt herself relax and her subconscious take hold of her. She felt herself drifting, allowing her senses to take over and absorb the rock in her hand. As if her mind's eye was the magnifying glass, she saw the sample and its individual components. She saw the garnet crystals, their intricate gems perfectly formed so long ago. She saw the quartz, and the apatite crystals, forming along with the garnet crystals. She allowed her senses to infiltrate the rock and its minerals, going even deeper. They painted a picture of a time long gone, when the Earth was still young. It was a chaotic place above ground, and even more chaotic below. She felt the heat of the mantle and the immense pressure so deep within the crust of the Earth. She was transported to the location this sample had once inhabited, and was witnessing its birth. She saw the crystals growing, each dictated by the other surrounding minerals, telling the story of that part of the world as the sample formed so long ago. As the picture became clearer to her, she was just about to travel even deeper into the sample, when she was interrupted by a voice coming from the door of the immense lab.

"Man, I wish I got that look when analyzing rock samples," a familiar voice commented, interrupting Vanessa and her session.

Vanessa closed her hand around the sample, blinking to refocus herself to the present.

"Well, you know how sexy analyzing rock samples can be,” she replied smartly. The man smiled. “The fixation of every woman's fantasy," she smirked.

"Is it? No wonder I can't get a date," he replied, walking in and situating himself on the opposite side of the table Vanessa was using in the lab. He motioned to look at the sample himself. She handed it over to him.

"Nice. Great crystal formation,” he noted, turning the rock over in his hands. “This the Arizona sample?" he asked.

"Good eye," she complimented. He smiled.

"Well, I can't take all the credit. I saw it written in your journal there," he admitted, his eyes travelling down to her notes.

"Cheater," she replied. He merely smiled warmly and set the sample down.

"Well, I'm sorry I interrupted you in the zone there Dr. Hughes," he apologized, referring to his entrance from earlier.

"Eh, no biggie. You know me. I get so engrossed in these things," Vanessa replied smugly. "The room wasn't shaking, was it?" she asked, her eyebrow raised and a curious smile on her face. The man smiled back.

"Not today," he replied calmly.

"Good," she responded shortly. "But if you think I'm going to let that Dr. Hughes thing slide, you've got another thing coming Jesse," she countered, leaning toward him, her pen pointing in his direction.

Jesse lightly laughed and leaned back, running a hand through his long reddish-blonde hair.

"Sorry. I forgot how sensitive you were about that," he replied. But Vanessa wasn't fully sold on his apology. She hated being called by her father's name. It wasn't that she hated her father, but being the daughter of a brilliant doctor, known the world over for his brilliance in his field had its strings and expectations attached to it. Plus, "Dr. Hughes" was something she wanted only professionals or acquaintances to call her – not friends or colleagues. And Jesse was well aware of that.

"So, I assume you've heard?" Jesse asked, changing the subject and steering the conversation toward what he'd originally come in for.

Vanessa turned her attention back to the rock sample, having grabbed a slide, putting it under the microscope which shared the table she was using.

"What? About our reassignment?" she asked, clarifying his question. Jesse folded his hands over his stomach, relaxing a little bit more. He nodded.

"So, what do you think?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Vanessa continued to look through the microscope.

"I think it's going to be a fun ride," she commented, referring to the adventure the University and specifically the United States Geological Survey, also known as the USGS, were sending her and her team on.

Jesse watched his colleague with intrigue.

"You think they want us to do more than study rocks out there?" Jesse asked.

Vanessa raised a brow.

"I know they do," she replied, keeping her eyes trained through the microscope. Jesse nodded.

"Well, it is Yellowstone. It's a volatile place," Jesse acknowledged.

"I'd generally say so. Geologically speaking anyway," Vanessa agreed.

"It's pretty lucky, them choosing us for this. Don't you think?" he asked, looking up in thought. "They could have chosen anyone else in the world, but they chose us," Jesse mused, rubbing his hand over his short goatee.

Vanessa smiled. "Well of course they'd choose us. We're the best," she replied, taking a break from the microscope and looking toward Jesse, a confident smile upon her face.

"And, we're gifted," Jesse added, raising an eyebrow to Vanessa. "Well, you're gifted," he clarified. Vanessa gave Jesse a knowing glance and smile.

"Oh come on, don't sell yourself so short," Vanessa replied smiling mischievously toward Jesse, crossing her arms. Jesse merely looked to the side, and then back to Vanessa.

"So, does the rest of the team know?" he asked, referring to the three other geologists which made up their team.

"Well I certainly hope so. I sent them all an e-mail, and the files should be sitting on their office desks already. Unless the files are lost underneath all of their students assignments," Vanessa stated, a contemplative look on her face.

Like herself, Vanessa and her team were part-time professors at Columbia University in New York City, and when they weren't teaching, they were out in the field on expeditions, gathering samples and studying various geologically significant terrains. Like Vanessa, none of the team was originally from New York City, but it was an excellent place for employment.

Vanessa had lived in New York for quite a while, and despite its busy and crammed demeanor, she enjoyed its character. And its character lately was getting more and more interesting given the presence of a new super team called the Avengers. They had shown up little more than six months ago, comprising of a group of specialized and supernatural members. Vanessa and her team were on an expedition when the city was seemingly attacked by an alien army, the Avengers intervening just in time to save the city – and the world for that matter. It was hard to believe it was even real when it was being reported, images of alien beings and some intergalactic dude related to Thor, ransacking the city like it was a heathen village. The nation and the world were definitely shocked by the incident, realizing Earth was no longer alone in the universe. The thought both intimidated and thrilled Vanessa, her scientist gears shifting into overdrive. This definitely opened a new and huge door for humanity, and Vanessa could only hypothesize what it would bring. 

From what Vanessa could gather, humanity’s reaction was mixed in response to the failed invasion. Some were intrigued, while others were threatened by this new variable of its society. However, supernatural beings were nothing new humanity had to deal with, and Vanessa was well aware of this, given her own very specific abilities and talents.

The city was definitely evolving and she was reluctant to leave it in the event she’d miss another major incident, but she guessed she’d just have to follow the news like everyone else, as this latest assignment was requiring her and her team to study in Yellowstone for about a year and a half. This was one of the longest assignments she and her team had ever received, and she hoped they were all up for the task.

Vanessa allowed her brow to crinkle.

"Well, those knuckleheads better know, because we leave in a week and a half," she stated, thinking ahead to their soon to be future. Jesse chuckled.

"Don't worry, they'll get it together," Jesse replied assuredly. "They'll procrastinate to the end like they always do," he smiled, knowing his teammates all too well. Vanessa nodded, agreeing with him.

"Well, I have my own loose ends to tie up here too. I'll probably be getting out there later than you guys," Vanessa stated, looking around the lab. Being the head of a team definitely came with its responsibilities. The higher you moved up the more you had to do. Jesse furrowed his brow.

"What's going on?" he asked curiously.

"Oh you know, last minute errands I have to run and tasks to fulfill. Stops I have to make before I leave," she stated finally, looking at Jesse with a softer gaze. He nodded, realizing what she meant. Her family lived not too far from New York, and he knew she was definitely going to make a trip out to Princeton, New Jersey.

"Gotcha," Jesse replied. Jesse then looked at his watch, realizing he needed to get a move on and take care of some loose ends himself.

"Got papers to grade?" Vanessa asked, noting his gaze at his watch.

"Ha, something like that," Jesse replied smiling gently. "More like an expedition to prepare for," he smiled again, raising an eyebrow. He started to stand and Vanessa stood up along with him.

"I can always count on you to be the first one ready to go. I just wish your teammates followed by your example," Vanessa commented, walking with Jesse as he started to exit the large lab. "Looks like I'll have to light a fire under their asses."

"Literally?" Jesse asked, a perplexed look on his face.

Vanessa smiled mischievously.

"That _would_ be fun wouldn't it?" Vanessa replied. Jesse merely shook his head.

"You're the boss," Jesse replied, he and Vanessa finally making it to the hallway.

"I knew you'd agree," Vanessa replied. She winked. "I'm sure I'll see you around," she finally stated, closing their conversation.

"Probably so. If not, see you out in Yellowstone," Jesse nodded, putting his hands in his pockets.

"You bet," Vanessa replied. Jesse finally nodded, and turned to walk down the hallway toward his office. Vanessa smiled. Yep, another adventure on the horizon.


	5. Ch. 5

Vanessa rolled into the town of Obsidian Ridge after about two days worth of travel. The wonderful and crisp mountain air greeted her as she made her way through the town center on her motorcycle. Obsidian Ridge was a town situated about 30 miles northeast of Yellowstone National Park. Numerous towns existed around the entire park, but this one provided the most convenient path of travel into the park, and truly, was the most picturesque of the surrounding towns. It wasn't a large town, but it had a lot to offer. Situated in the higher elevations, it looked out over the northern part of Yellowstone Park, and on especially clear days offered a spectacular view for miles. Obsidian Ridge had the conventional stops for any tourist like hotels, gift shops, and some small museums explaining the geologic and human histories of the town. It also had some excellent restaurants, bars, hiking, hot springs, and a few stray geysers. But Vanessa especially enjoyed the feel of the town. Most of its structures fit well into the surrounding nature, fashioned after cozy log cabins. There were a few establishments, such as hotels that had a more modern feel to them, but everything else was of an old fashioned design. She also noticed a Native American influence over the town, with various structures incorporating Native American symbols and words in the architecture of the buildings. To Vanessa, it made the town have a more authentic feel – a deep and ingrained history connected with the spirits of the heavens and the earth.

Making her way through the center of the town, she continued on to the higher elevations to the northeast. As Vanessa followed the winding road she passed numerous houses and cabins she had seen dotting the mountainside when she had first entered the town. Most of the homes were well hidden within the surrounding pine forest, and set far from the main road, but it was easy to tell that these homes and cabins were luxurious. No doubt most of these houses were vacation homes built by families with grand incomes, looking for a chance to get away and enjoy the mountains. Vanessa smiled to herself. Luxury wasn't completely her style, but she could certainly get used to it.

She realized she might in fact get that chance as she finally turned down the driveway leading to the cabin she and her team were renting for their time in Yellowstone. Or cabins, was more like, as she found herself looking up at two large cabins practically growing out of the mountainside, overlooking the town and the park below. Getting closer to the cabins, she noticed a large deck uniting them, their large wall sized windows facing out over the expansive landscape. This was luxury for sure, and she made a mental note to write a long thank you letter to the university and USGS for their considerate accommodations.

She slowed her motorcycle down and parked it next to her Honda CR-V, which thankfully looked like it had been well taken care of by her team. She had instructed them to take it and her belongings out ahead of her and was relieved everything appeared to be intact. So far, anyway. She turned off the engine of her bike and grabbed her small duffle bag.

"Hey, hot shot! Have a nice ride?" she heard a voice yell from above. It was her Geophysicist Adam Ives, who by far was the sassiest scientist on her staff – other than herself, of course. He was evidently lounging on the deck, enjoying the beautiful spring sun, a drink in his hand. Vanessa looked up.

"I see you're working very hard there Dr. Ives," Vanessa shot at him.

"You know me boss. Work is the worst four letter word in the dictionary," he smiled down to her. He turned his head to the side. "Hey! Mom’s home!" he yelled, to the open door from the deck. Vanessa smiled, walking into the garage and into the cabin.

Making her way up some stairs from the garage and through the laundry room she found herself in the kitchen, a beautiful room which opened up to a very large living and dining room. Taking in the cabin, Vanessa's eyes were drawn up to the high ceilings, large logs spanning across the length of the vaulted ceilings, adding to the airy aesthetic of the structure. The sun filtered in easily through the large windows overlooking the scenery below, and Vanessa could not help but admire the view. Surveying her surroundings, she heard movement from behind her.

"Glad to see you made it here safe and sound," Jesse commented, a soft smile on his lips as he made his way down the stairs. Vanessa looked behind her to see an open loft from where Jesse had come, evidently leading to the other rooms in the house.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Vanessa asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Only a little," Jesse answered smiling, greeting Vanessa with a hug.

"Hey now Dr. Chieftain! Save some action for the rest of us," Adam exclaimed, walking over to Vanessa from outside, his tall built frame accentuated by the bright sun behind him. "I want a chance for a raise too," he smirked. Vanessa merely cocked an un-amused eyebrow at him, ignoring his innuendos.

Jesse looked to the ground and smiled, his hands finding their way into his pockets. Despite the appearance of two members of her team, Vanessa found her eyes searching for the rest.

"So, can I expect the rest of my team to be working as diligently as you Adam?" she asked, looking up to him.

"Actually, you _can't_ , your highness. For they are out in the field as we speak," Adam stated triumphantly. Jesse nodded.

"Yeah, they're out at the lab in the park," Jesse confirmed, looking to Adam and then back to Vanessa.

Vanessa allowed her eyes to remain half-lidded, darting from Adam to Jesse.

"And the two of you have failed to join them because?" she asked expectantly. Adam looked to his drink and then back to Vanessa.

"Well, you know, had to make sure you had a welcome party upon your arrival. We thought about hiring some strippers to make you feel even more at home, but it regrettably wasn't in the budget," Adam explained, gesturing with his drink in his hand. Vanessa stared at Adam and then allowed her eyes to drift over to Jesse for a more viable explanation.

"We've already been to the lab. We set some of it up, and Gabe and Stephen are finishing up the rest," he explained calmly, referring to the missing two members of the team.

"Good," Vanessa replied shortly. At least some work had been done while she was away. She took another look around the expansive living room. "So, I'm assuming you guys have claimed this cabin for yourselves?" she asked, another expectant look on her face. A perturbed expression overtook Adam's face as his eyes slid to the side.

"Yeah. I tried to horn in on that cabin over there, but Jesse convinced me to stay," Adam mentioned, pointing over to the neighboring cabin. "But of course he would. I knew he’d miss me too much otherwise," he replied, smiling widely. Jesse only smiled.

"I was saving his life. I knew you'd kill anyone who decided to set up camp in the same cabin as you," Jesse explained, his head slightly turning in Adam's direction.

Adam looked over at Jesse, a discerning expression on his face.

"Oh come on, I'm not afraid of her," Adam defended. Vanessa raised a brow and allowed her eyes to rest upon Adam. Jesse stood watching the mini mental battle brewing between Vanessa and Adam.

"You know I can fire you, right?" Vanessa immediately countered.

Adam adjusted his stance, his drink still in hand, and looked to the floor.

"Well, you know, when I say not afraid, what I really mean is," he started, but suddenly cocked his head to the side and slightly leaned forward. "You know, have you done something different with your hair?”

A wry smile appeared on Vanessa's face, raising her eyebrows.

"Uh-huh, that's what I thought," she smiled, knowing she'd won this fight. She gave Jesse a knowing glance and slowly turned to make her way out of the boys' cabin and over to hers, Adam's voice trailing behind her.

"The way the midday sun hits it. It must be the mountain air," she heard him going on as she exited the already open deck door. With her duffle bag still in hand, she enjoyed the clear mountain air, the sun brilliantly shining down on her as she made her way across the deck to the door leading into her cabin.

Once she entered, she noticed the same architecture as the men's cabin, her cabin a mirror image of theirs. Both cabins were already outfitted with furniture, pictures and knickknacks, which resembled the rustic American West and mountain culture. She couldn't help but smile, enjoying the rich colors of the cabin and its rustic furnishings. As she looked around, she spotted a rather large pile of her suitcases, moving boxes, and duffle bags set on the floor of the living room. Evidently her boys knew which side their bread was buttered on, and were kind enough to bring her belongings over. She was thankful they had all decided to reside in one cabin. Not that she minded roommates, but at least she knew she would have some privacy. They could throw rowdy parties with their own consensus.

Deciding she should settle in, she grabbed a suitcase along with her duffle bag and made her way up the stairs to the left of the living room and up to the loft toward the master bedroom. Admittedly, both houses were a bit much for her and her team, capable of housing five people each. For the men, that was fine, but it left Vanessa with an empty house and a bunch of rooms. But, at least she had her pick of rooms and nobody to fight over them with.

Once up to the loft, which offered an even better view of the scenery below, and another spacious place to relax, Vanessa made her way to the master bedroom. Vanessa walked in, placing her suitcase and duffle bag on the four poster bed. The room was definitely large – possibly the largest bedroom in the house. Vanessa smiled when she noted a bathroom attached to her room, which from her angle appeared almost as spacious as the bedroom. The bedroom echoed the same theme as the rest of the house, Native American artifacts hanging on the walls and decorating the dresser. Vanessa allowed the tension in her back to relax as she walked over to the large windows overlooking the landscape below. Breathtaking landscapes were nothing Vanessa was foreign to in her profession. She had seen dozens of beautiful canyons, tall waterfalls, and graceful mountains. But despite all she had seen, she still enjoyed the splendor nature had to offer. She felt some excitement as she realized that as her eyes wandered the landscape, they were falling upon a place she had longed to return to her entire life.

Yellowstone National Park was a place Vanessa had visited once as a young girl, when her parents had taken her on a family vacation. Even from a young age, she realized she was hooked by its beauty and mystery. She was captivated by the wildlife and the scenery, but also with how odd of a landscape it truly was. It was a point of fascination, especially as she got older and made a career in Geology. She had dreamed of being able to study in Yellowstone, unsure if the opportunity would ever present itself. But low and behold that very opportunity was now upon her. She would no longer need to dream, because she was here, and what she was experiencing was very real. She took another breath, taking in the experience one last time, and turned toward her bed, making her way to unpack the rest of her belongings.

After a few more trips up and down the stairs, and lugging heavy suitcases and boxes around the cabin, Vanessa had most of her things unpacked in about an hour and a half. It was more time than she wanted to spend on her things, but she hated having to deal with it at the end of her day. She also found time to call each of her parents, letting them know she had made it safe and sound into Yellowstone. She had visited both of them before she left for her trip, one of the things contributing for her later arrival in joining her team. Vanessa's parents were divorced, having divorced when she was 12. Her mother was now happily remarried and living comfortably with her new husband. For her father however, the search continued in finding the same happiness, but with his often difficult personality, she could see why things hadn't worked out with her mother. And how difficult it might be for the future.

Taking another look around her cabin, and mostly satisfied with the order of things, she grabbed her keys and sunglasses, making her way downstairs and back out into the Wyoming sun. As she crossed the deck, she spotted both Jesse and Adam relaxing in the sun, Jesse sitting at a table and Adam on a chaise. Vanessa walked over to Adam's chaise and leaned upon the back of it.

"What's up boss?" Adam asked, looking up at her. Vanessa looked over to Jesse and then down to Adam.

"Oh, I don't know. I was just thinkin', that just maybe we should take a trip on down to the park. You know, do our jobs or something," she started, shrugging as though it was a suggestion in passing.

"But Mom, do we have to?" Adam whined. Vanessa's eyes travelled down to Adam, leaning over him a little more.

"Yes, and if you're really good, Mommy might just get you some candy," she answered. Adam's face lit up.

"Adult candy?" he asked a little too excitedly. Jesse smiled, and briefly looked to the side.

"Only if you promise to keep your hands to yourself," she continued. Adam's face dropped a little.

"Aww, that's no fun," he replied, looking away from Vanessa. Finally she dropped the act and lightly smacked Adam's shoulder.

"Come on guys, let's go and join the rest of the team," she stated a little more seriously, standing up and making her way between the cabins and down the stairs leading to the driveway below. Vanessa mounted her bike, while the other two strapped into Jesse's white Dodge Ram. Turning on the ignition, she attached a Bluetooth earpiece to her ear. It was a tool provided by the university to help the scientists keep in better touch with each other, fed directly into the walkie system in their trucks. "Hope you guys can keep up," Vanessa's voice sounded over the walkie radio in Jesse's truck. Jesse turned on his ignition and grabbed the receiver of his own.

"Roger that," he smiled, setting the receiver back in its holder. Adam watched as she mischievously looked back to them and then revved her engine, speeding down the driveway.

"Ha, I hope she knows where she's going. Why is she leading the way?" he asked.

Jesse merely smiled and cocked his head.

"Because she's the boss," he answered, shifting gears and allowing his foot to press the accelerator and follow Vanessa in her wake.

It only took about a half hour to arrive to the northeastern entrance to Yellowstone Park proper as Vanessa was greeted by park authorities stationed there. She had already arranged clearance in and out of the park ahead of time, displaying the USGS badge she had fastened to her belt. After verifying her clearance, the rangers easily allowed her, Jesse and Adam to pass, and they continued on to the interior of the park.

Vanessa smiled as she felt her senses sharpen upon her entrance. Even though she was still about 20 miles from the caldera rim, her senses were picking up on the activity within the park already. It was beautiful and picturesque above the ground, between the mountains, mesmerizing waterfalls, rich forests and expansive plains. But underneath the ground was a far different story. As she sped around a turn, she passed a rather large pool of boiling spring water, steam rising high into the air. Her eyes were momentarily drawn to the pool, and distracted by the sight, her periphery registered Jesse's white truck passing her up on the left, momentarily obscuring her view of the boiling pool.

"Yeah, so you were going a little slow for us. Might want to pick up the pace there boss," she heard Adam say into her earpiece. She could tell he had a triumphant smile on his face. He might not have been driving, but she guessed he had goaded Jesse into passing her. She could have been angry, but instead, she revved her engine, increasing her speed and quickly approached Jesse's truck. If they wanted to play, she was going to make sure they had a good time. She smiled as she urged the accelerator further.

Swerving her bike to the left she was just about to pass up Jesse and Adam, but quickly diverted her bike back behind the truck, as oncoming traffic momentarily impeded her way. She allowed the drivers to pass - tourists no doubt. But unfortunately, her patience was wearing thin, and she wasn't about to let Adam and Jesse beat her to their destination. Revving her engine once more, she looked to her right, finding what looked like a small trail amongst the forest trees lining the road. Knowing that what she was about to do was all kinds of illegal, she revved her engine and aimed her motorcycle toward the trail, her long hair whipping wildly behind her. Adam spotted her in the passenger mirror, and saw her disappear off it only to come into view beside them, weaving into the trees and onto the trail.

"Oh boy," Jesse noted, noticing Vanessa’s course of action. As she followed the trail, she revved her engine further to give herself more power up the incline in relation to the road, forcing Adam to look up as he watched her. "I told you we shouldn't have passed her," Jesse commented, hearing her bike engine revving loudly above his truck.

"Jesse, if I told you to drive off a bridge, would you do it?" Adam asked, his eyes darting from the road to Vanessa. Jesse allowed a small laugh escape him and kept his eyes on the road and Vanessa in the trees parallel to them.

Vanessa roared along, gaining ground ahead of Jesse's truck via the trail, but she knew she'd have to get off the trail soon. If a ranger caught her, she'd definitely be toast. The trail continued to maintain its course above the road, as Vanessa maneuvered among the large pines. Knowing she needed to get off the trail, she looked ahead and spotted a clear section where she could connect with the road once again. Pushing the accelerator once more, she sped up, now well ahead of Jesse's truck. Reaching the edge of the trail, she punched the engine, her bike lifting off the ground, only to smoothly connect with the grass and gravel next to the road. Jesse's truck swiftly punched through the cloud of dirt and dust the impact of her bike had created, the trio continuing their journey on down the road.

"She's nuts," Adam commented. Jesse laughed once again, relaxing into his seat, one hand on the steering wheel and shaking his head.

"That's Vanessa," he affirmed, knowing it simply wouldn't be her otherwise.

With a rather uneventful remainder of the drive, and Jesse and Adam convinced they shouldn't mess with Vanessa a second time, the trio finally entered the vicinity of the Old Faithful Visitors and Education Center. Vanessa caught a glimpse of the iconic Old Faithful geyser, a large crowd surrounding its perimeter and admiring its beauty. Vanessa couldn't help but admit she was one amongst that crowd, as she too watched it briefly before turning off her engine. Jesse and Adam started walking toward Vanessa. Vanessa had a smug smile on her face as they approached her.

"Ok, ok, you rule, we suck. Point taken," Adam stated, admitting some defeat.

"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself. You passed me once. That'll give you some kind of street cred," she replied, maintaining her smug smile. The trio started walking into the visitor center.

"Yeah, yeah," Adam said, still dissatisfied he couldn't top his boss at least once. As they entered the large glass doors of the center, Vanessa allowed Jesse and Adam to lead the way, since they knew where they were going better than she did. The center was bustling with people and tourists, busy educating themselves about the park and its geologic features. She could hear snippets of tour guides and park rangers giving groups of people lectures about the park and its history. It made her smile, remembering listening to those same lectures so long ago, when she had visited as a young girl. The same young girl in her felt giddy over the fact that she was back again, here to study as a professional.

Walking through the expanse of the center, Jesse approached a door toward the back of the building and swiped his ID badge, opening the door and holding it for both Vanessa and Adam. Vanessa nodded in thanks to Jesse and the trio made their way down a hallway with windows on either side, offering a nice view of the park. Following the hallway, Jesse then opened another door which lead to an expansive building that branched off of the main structure. From what Vanessa could tell, the building was hexagonal in structure, and several stories high. As with the same theme of the visitor center, this building was open and airy, with many windows looking out to the park. The room of which the trio had entered was at least two stories high, sectioned off at the front with partitions similar to office cubicles. As Vanessa entered and passed the cubicles, she came upon sturdier tables which were like the lab tables in the lecture halls back in the university. Looking up she saw shelves, displaying various geologic models of volcanoes, geysers, and ball and stick models of molecules and minerals, defining the room from the more public visitor center they had entered. As Vanessa took in the room, she heard steps from above her, and looked to see four men making their way down a set of stairs that lined one side of the room.

"As you can see, we're still setting everything up, but we should have everything up and running within a few days," Vanessa heard another familiar voice explaining. "Oh hey!" his voice brightened at seeing his other team members.

"Hey Gabe. Hey Stephen," Vanessa greeted, as they both walked over and gave her a welcome hug.

"How was your trip here?" Gabe asked, his blue eyes wide and blonde curly hair practically bouncing from his excitement.

"Well, the trip here from the cabin was exciting," she admitted smugly. "But you can blame your other two colleagues for that." Adam smiled wryly in Vanessa's direction. Vanessa ignored Adam and turned her attention to the men who Gabe had been speaking with. Gabe took the initiative first.

"Oh Vanessa, this is Dr. Harold Lowens and Conservation Officer William Red Bear,” Gabe introduced, both men reaching out to each shake Vanessa’s hand. “Dr. Lowens is the Scientist In Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory and Officer Red Bear is one of the head park rangers assigned to help us at our time here in the park," Gabe continued.

"Ah, so nice to meet you," Vanessa greeted, shaking each man’s hand.

"Likewise, Dr. Hughes," Dr. Lowens replied, nodding and shaking Vanessa's hand.

"Vanessa, please," she corrected. Jesse looked to Gabe and raised his eyebrows and then back to Vanessa and the two men.

"I've heard a lot about you and your work," Dr. Lowens started, putting his hands in the pockets of his khaki vest. "I was telling Mr. Red Bear about the kind of work you and your team do,” he commented, gesturing to the man next to him. William nodded his head in agreement. 

“Your work is pretty impressive,” William added, his hands finding their way into his pockets. “I look forward to working with you and your team,” he continued a genuine smile appearing on his face and striking Native American features. “We’re certainly honored to have you and your team working in our park."

"Well, thank you for asking us out here," Vanessa replied genuinely. "It's very generous allowing us to use this facility as our lab," Vanessa added, gesturing to the building they were in.

"It's our pleasure. I hope it will do nicely for you," he smiled.

"Stephen and I were just showing Dr. Lowens and Mr. Red Bear our equipment. We haven't gotten everything set up yet, but we're definitely getting there," Gabe explained, looking briefly to Stephen, who shyly stood next to him.

"Yes, and you've got extremely nice equipment. I have to say I'm a little jealous," Dr. Lowens admitted.

Adam leaned close to Jesse. "If he thinks this equipment is nice, wait until he sees what our _other_ equipment can do," he said under his breath. Vanessa turned toward him and raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"Yes, the university is very generous. We're very lucky," Vanessa responded, ignoring Adam’s comment.

Dr. Lowens looked around at Vanessa's team.

"And, you appear to have a very capable team on your hands. I'm looking forward to working with all of you," he stated, a warm smile on his face. William nodded his head in agreement.

"Capable with science, yes," Vanessa started. She turned toward Adam. "Behaving themselves – not so much."

Adam merely defiantly stared back at his boss. Dr. Lowens laughed.

"You gentlemen might want to brace yourselves. We're a little – unconventional,” Vanessa commented, looking over her team. “I hope that isn’t a problem for you," she replied, raising her eyebrows to the two gentlemen in front of her.

"Well, if I had wanted conventional scientists, I don't think I would have asked you and your team out here," Dr. Lowens responded, somewhat seriously. He looked around at the team again. "Because what you'll be studying out here is far from conventional," he admitted.

"Sounds like our specialty," Jesse stated in Vanessa's direction.

"I told you it would be a fun ride," Vanessa responded, smiling at Jesse.

Dr. Lowens looked around at the team once more and then to Vanessa.

"Well, William and I better leave you all to settle in. Thank you again Drs. Hoffsteader and Croft, for your tour earlier," Dr. Lowens started, referencing Gabe and Stephen. He looked to Vanessa. "I hope to meet with you sometime in the next few days to discuss what our research has revealed about the park. Perhaps then we can discuss expeditions across the park for your team," Dr. Lowens continued.

“I’ll have Harold C.C. me about what you’ve discussed and get in contact with you about the expeditions,” William added.

Vanessa looked around to her team and then back to the two men.

"Sounds good to me," she replied assuredly, slightly nodding her head.

Dr. Lowens nodded his head in response.

"Have a good day Drs. And again, welcome to Yellowstone," he smiled, extending his hand to Vanessa once more. She grasped it firmly.

“See you around the park,” William said, also shaking Vanessa and her teams hand as he and Dr. Lowens began to leave.

"Thank you," she responded, a strong smile on her face. He nodded once more, letting go of her hand and he and William exited through the door where Vanessa had entered, back out to the Visitor Center.

About 3 hours later Vanessa and her team had nearly everything set up in the lab. From lab equipment to supplies, microscopes and their makeshift offices, they had everything setup to help them analyze the data they were hoping to collect over their time in the park. One of the coolest features they had was in the floor above them. It was a holographic display of the park, which would help them map out the activity both above and underground. It was a special tool the university had provided with hopes it would aid the geologists in their tests and measurements. Most of all, it provided an excellent way to visualize the activity of the park.

Coming down the stairs after booting up the computer and making sure all the bugs had been worked out, Vanessa walked down to join the rest of her team.

"Isn't that thing sweet?" Gabe asked Vanessa, in reference to the super computer.

"When it learns to do my laundry and taxes, _then_ it'll be sweet," Vanessa replied.

"Oh come on, you're not the least bit impressed?" Gabe asked.

"Eh," Vanessa replied, shrugging and looking at her nails. The computer was amazing, by technologic standards. But Vanessa didn't require such technology to aid her in her experiments. She had a very different means of acquiring information.

She suddenly clapped her hands together and looked excitedly at her team.

"How about we say it's quittin' time and have a nice dinner at the Old Faithful Inn to celebrate our first night together in Yellowstone? My treat," Vanessa offered. Her team had worked hard enough, and she was excited to be out here finally in the field. Adam looked to Gabe beside him.

"If she's buying," he said, shrugging.

"That's the spirit," she smiled. "Come on, let's close shop and get a bite to eat," she continued, waving them along with her. The rest of her team appeared to agree, and after shutting down their computers and turning off the lights, they were on their way back out of the Visitor's Center and on down the road toward the large rustic building that was the Old Faithful Inn.

Dinner proved to be just the thing to hit the spot after a long day for everyone. With their bellies full and satisfied, the team made their way out of the inn and on back to the Visitor Center parking lot. Their shadows were long on the pavement as they walked, the sun making its way down toward the horizon, the blue sky turning a dusky blue in wake of the suns descent.

"Remind me to have you pay for dinner more often," Adam commented, stretching as he walked down the side of the road.

"You're welcome Adam," Vanessa responded, unenthused.

"He's right though. Thank you for dinner Vanessa," Gabe chimed in sincerely.

"Eh, I guess you guys are worth it," Vanessa replied, playing along with her team.

Once at the parking lot, Jesse volunteered to go back into the lab to double check everything had been shut down and locked. Gabe and Stephen loaded into Gabe's dark blue Dodge Durango, Adam piling in with them for a ride back. Gabe waved to Vanessa out his window as he turned out of the parking lot and onto the road to make his way out of the park. Vanessa waved back, and slowly made her way to her bike. She inhaled, the fresh smell of the wilderness invading her system. Opening her eyes she caught a glimpse of Old Faithful, its most current eruption just ending, the hot water slowly retreating back into the earth. Plumes of steam continued to flow out of the geyser into the air, floating gracefully with the wind. As Vanessa watched the water retreat, she allowed herself to relax, a familiar feeling invading her, and she allowed her subconscious to take over.

The water of the geyser fell back into the earth, and she found all the elements of the park taking hold of her, as if she were in tune with their frequencies. She was immersed in the activity of the park, and found herself following the water of Old Faithful in its descent to the reservoir it called home. She felt the heat and the moisture, both increasing as her minds eye and senses made their way through the crevices within the rock. She saw the constrictions and the openings in the chimney leading down to the reservoir. Right now the reservoir had significantly less water in it, as the geyser had just erupted, but it would only take another 90 minutes and the water display would start over again. The reservoir was massive, easily big enough for a few good size cars to fit comfortably in.

Vanessa felt her senses delve deeper, following the flow of water, down further into the earth. She could feel the heat intensify, as she passed the water table and forced herself to continue on down into the crust. She was travelling back in time, each layer of rock getting older and older in her descent. Her senses reached further down, snaking through the layers and miles of rock, connecting with the minerals and histories they had to tell. But as she reached deeper within the layers of Rhyolite, she felt an intense heat invade her system. It was an energy which was alive, moving like an infant in a womb, kicking and shifting, adjusting and moving. Yet despite the young nature of the force Vanessa found herself facing, she also felt an ancient energy present among it. It was an energy which felt millions of years old, commanding respect and containing an enormous amount of power. Allowing herself to absorb the massive amounts of energy facing her, Vanessa slowed her descent and felt her senses reach out, allowing her consciousness to reside five miles below the earth's surface, finding herself face to face with the beast that fueled Yellowstone National Park.

Vanessa scanned the mammoth magma chamber, her senses engulfing and invading it. She felt the incredibly intense heat radiating from the feature. She saw the magma roiling and bright red, as if it were a big cauldron. She saw the stalactites of cooler rock the magma had not yet managed to melt, but knew soon enough they too would be overcome by the heat and melt with the rest of the magma. Her senses wrapped themselves around the immensity of the chamber, spanning 30 miles long, 25 miles wide and 10 miles deep. It was by far one of the most massive of magma chambers she had ever come across, and despite her talents, she found herself struggling to connect to and understand the power of the enormous chamber. She sensed deeper structures extending hundreds of feet further into the earth. They were structures associated with the primary magma chamber, fueling its heat and magma source. It was an incredibly massive geologic structure, and Vanessa couldn't help but find herself respecting it even more for that reason alone. Scanning the chambers, she was struck by the fact that this feature might be millions of years old, but it truly was a source of rebirth. Old rock melted by the intense heat, only to be born into new fertile rock, like a phoenix from the ashes. It was an amazing process which Vanessa admired greatly.

She felt the thick magma, as it reached out, finding crevices of which it could utilize to expand even further through the park, but the chamber was holding its ground. Her brow wrinkled as she owed some of her own strength and ability to fortify the rock surrounding the chamber. She felt herself manipulating the crystals and the minerals, urging them to transform into stronger minerals – anything to maintain the magma in its place.

But despite her efforts, the strength of the enormous chamber sought to overpower her. It was a chamber well tested by time, and almost as if it had a personality of its own, fought against Vanessa's efforts. She could almost swear she heard it growl as if to warn her away. Vanessa felt herself and her senses slightly retreat, realizing that what she was dealing with was certainly going to provide an immense challenge. But despite her efforts, she suddenly felt herself retreat quickly, something calling her away from the chamber. Her senses and consciousness retreated quickly through the hundreds of layers of rock and she felt the cooler air of the surface approaching her fast. As she connected with herself once more, the cool air an oasis compared to the chamber, she heard the voice which had called her back.

"Everything ok boss?" Jesse asked, his rich blue eyes staring over at her with concern. Vanessa blinked and took a breath. She kept her eyes on the site of Old Faithful, the effects of her journey lingering in her consciousness. She slightly shook her head as if to clear it.

"Sorry,” pausing for a moment, as though to allow the image of the massive structure clear her mind. “Fun times - being a mutant," Vanessa responded, looking over to Jesse next to her. He slightly smiled.

"I figured as much," he commented, all too familiar with Vanessa's gifts. He looked to her and then to Old Faithful. "So, do we have anything to worry about?" he asked calmly.

"In a manner of speaking," Vanessa replied seriously. Jesse continued to look on.

"Do you think your being a mutant will be a problem?" Jesse asked.

"I'm fairly certain it's the reason we were asked out here," Vanessa answered. "As long as our Yellowstone colleagues aren't prejudiced," she added, nodding her head. Her eyes went over to Jesse.

"They'd be stupid if they were," Jesse answered, looking to Vanessa. Vanessa lightly shrugged and looked back out to Old Faithful.

"I'm used to it," she started. "Life's more interesting when you're a freak anyway," she added, lifting her head slightly, a small smile on her face. She knew that being branded a mutant meant one was automatically an outcast.

Mutants were a population of people born with supernatural ability, granted to them through their genetics. And given Vanessa's very specific geologic and environmental senses, she was categorized in that group. Mutants were a relatively new phenomenon in the human race, with more arising every day. Yet there were still few enough that they were considered a minority. Groups like the X-men helped to provide a "friendlier" image for mutants. But despite their efforts to protect humanity and mutantkind alike, the majority of humanity still considered mutants a threat. Having studied at the Xavier Institute, the very institute where the X-men originated, Vanessa was taught the importance of the coexistence of mutants and humans alike. They also taught Vanessa to be proud of her mutation. She couldn't say she always had the best time accepting what she was. It certainly had affected her family and childhood in the past. But as she got older, she came to accept her gifts and abilities, and she also learned how to use them to her advantage. This was her reality and her life, and no matter what she was, she was the one to live it – not anyone else.

With the way the world was changing, Vanessa often thought that perhaps her mutation wasn't the worst thing in the world. She had grown up in the Xavier Institute where she was surrounded and taught by other mutants like herself, and when groups like the Avengers and their crew showed up, Vanessa felt a bit more prepared to handle trouble should it come her way. The world was changing so quickly, and perhaps mutation was the answer in order to keep up. She couldn't be totally sure that was the real reason mutants existed, but it was her best theory. However, given her future endeavors within Yellowstone, she knew her mutation would certainly come in handy. She knew she was going to need every ounce of strength and advantage for this expedition.

"Well, _I'm_ glad you're out here," Jesse commented, looking over to Vanessa. Vanessa gave him an incredulous look.

"What did I tell you about selling yourself short?" she asked, lightening the mood. Jesse laughed, and briefly looked to the ground.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he responded.

"Don't worry. We'll show this thing whose boss," Vanessa smiled and winked to Jesse.

"You think so?" Jesse asked.

"Well, we better. Otherwise, we've got problems," Vanessa stated bluntly. Jesse merely looked at her, his eye half-lidded and one eyebrow raised. "Come on, you know those other guys are throwing a party by now. But it can't be a party if the two coolest people haven't shown up yet," Vanessa joked, winking at Jesse. "Let's get back there and crash it," she smiled mischievously. Jesse nodded and turned to walk back to his truck.

"Whatever you say," he stated as they walked. Vanessa mounted her bike and started the engine. She took one last look out at the park, unsure of what the future would hold for her and her team. But no matter what it might be, she knew she'd just have to roll with it. Revving her engine, she sped out onto the main road, Jesse following behind her, and they made their way out of the park.


	6. Ch. 6

Vanessa stared out to the expansive Lamar Valley, surveying the grass as it blew gracefully in the light spring breeze. The sun shone brightly over head, a few stray clouds obscuring the light now and again. She looked down to her GPS, noting her latitude and longitude, making a note of her elevation on her clipboard. Jotting down the last few numbers, her attention was broken as she heard a faint rumbling in the distance. Her eyes fell upon a herd of elk, making their way across the valley. They were on their way to find better pasture to graze no doubt. She was momentarily mesmerized, watching the herd move as one, banding together to make their way safely to their destination. And they had good reason to stick together, for Yellowstone not only was elk country, but it was also large predator country. Even Vanessa had to be wary of the wildlife around here, as wolves and bears were among those that roamed the vast territory. As much as she enjoyed the closeness with nature offered by these expeditions, she also knew of its power and knew well to respect it. Despite her caution she pressed on, walking another 200 feet, to begin the process of cataloging the latitude, longitude, and elevation once again.

Nearly a month had passed since Vanessa and her team had arrived in Yellowstone. In that time, they had already been on numerous expeditions within the park. Vanessa had a chance to meet with Dr. Lowens and William Red Bear to discuss their research and concerns about the park. Seismic activity across the park, gas emissions, and any changes in the topography, were some of the features Dr. Lowens wanted Vanessa's team to study first. In order to monitor the changes of the volcano beneath their feet, many of the expeditions were long term research, and Vanessa knew her team was more than equipped to handle it.

Vanessa herself was getting used to the effects of the volcano and the park. Studying in such close proximity to it was like standing directly next to a radio tower, the signal strong, loud, and completely overpowering. She was finding it hard to tune out other aspects she sensed about the park, and this especially applied to the volcano. This experience was nothing new to her, having had to learn how to tune out the noise of nature and its frequencies from a young age. But with something so massive and powerful, it was no wonder there were nights she simply could not fall asleep. She could hear the magma, constantly heating up and cooling down, causing the rock around it to crack and shudder. She felt the earthquakes, nearly undetectable by humans, but typical in the park year round. Her abilities sometimes focused on tiny things, like sensing the growth of foliage or the trample of animals throughout the park. But amongst it all and most overpowering were the rocks beneath her feet. She knew over time, and with some training on her part, eventually she would get a grip on things, but right now all she could do was adjust.

Despite her own personal adjustments, her team had appeared to acclimate nicely to the park and the living situations. There were a few tousles over the rooms amongst the men. Evidently they hadn't quite ironed out who went where, and Vanessa was forced to settle some arguments between them – especially when she could hear the yelling from their cabin.

It took some work, and some disciplinary action, but eventually the guys got situated and comfortable. Vanessa concluded she didn't need to have children, for her team sufficed just fine.

Despite the minor conflicts, the lab had been completely set up in the time the team had been there. It was nice to settle in and have a comfortable place to work. They had already compiled a good amount of data from the few expeditions they'd already completed, and were excited to compare it to Dr. Lowens' data to see what conclusions they could come to about the park. They were already planning other expeditions, and right now Vanessa found herself facing a topographic mapping of an area in the northern portion of the park known as the Lamar Valley. An incredibly biologically diverse area of the park, it was sometimes referred to as America's Serengeti. Acting as a home to animals like the sturdy bison, elk, and wolves which inhabited Yellowstone, it was thought to mimic the habitat it mirrored in Africa. They were all incredible animals, and Vanessa loved the fact she was able to study nature among them.

Vanessa took another look around, as she plotted the last point on her map, jotting down the last measurement in her survey. She had managed to travel across the expanse of the valley, which was a great distance from her camp in the higher elevations surrounding the terrain. She had spent the last three days out here, cataloging the topography of the region, and making her way through the valley. She had a few more days to spend out here, but today she decided to call it quits. With another successful day under her belt, Vanessa slung one strap of her backpack off her shoulder, stashing her clipboard and GPS back into it. After zipping it up, she adjusted it on her back, inhaling the fresh afternoon air, and hiking her way back to her truck on the other side of the valley.

After a 20 minute off road drive back to her campsite Vanessa found herself safely tucked away in the higher elevations above the valley. Or so she thought. Unloading her truck, movement in her periphery momentarily caught her attention. She turned to look to her left and caught site of a pack of wolves making their way through the trees, heading toward the valley below. They were quite a good distance away from her camp site, appearing cautious of her in the same way she was of them. But Vanessa wasn't alarmed by their presence. In fact, their presence was something she was getting used to. After all, wolves were quite numerous within Yellowstone. It was a pack she had seen before, lead by a large grey male. This pack had made a few appearances in the few expeditions she and her team had already been on. Evidently their territory was quite vast, and perhaps they were as curious of these new humans studying their terrain as the humans were of them.

Despite the fact that Vanessa could have felt threatened by these animals, she instead felt a strange sense of calm, watching them in the distance. Watching them head down into the valley, she caught the large grey alpha male, making his way to the end of the pack and stopping to observe his pack members in their descent. Vanessa slightly lifted her head, watching him as he stood alert. He surveyed the nature around him and watched his pack protectively. Vanessa could see why he was the head of the group. As the last few wolves trotted past him, he turned his head toward Vanessa and her campsite. For a moment the two locked eyes, his bright yellow ones connecting with Vanessa's set of blues. He did nothing more than watch her and she merely stared back, watching him just as intently. But in the midst of their gaze, Vanessa noticed his right ear move in the direction of his pack, and he broke his attention to continue following them.

It was an odd occurrence, for Vanessa had not been this close to the pack nor watched them this closely. If anything, the pack would ignore Vanessa and her team, allowing them to go on with their business in the park. Yet this was different. It felt more purposeful. Watching him disappear down into the valley, Vanessa blinked, attempting to clear her mind. Perhaps she was more worn out than she had thought, and she had to admit, this wolf wasn't the only strange occurrence she had encountered.

For the past few days Vanessa was picking up strange energies in the air. She knew she felt signatures of which she could not identify, and they were signatures interlaced within the many elements already present within the park. But it was something she had picked up on ever since she had arrived at this location a few days ago. Placing her paperwork on the chair at the edge of her fire pit, she decided to clear her mind and get a fire going. Perhaps her senses were playing tricks on her, overwhelmed by the expansive and active environment around her. She forced herself to relax and grabbed some logs, placing them in the fire pit, quickly getting them burning. Perhaps all she needed was a break, her mind overloaded with scientific points and data. After adjusting the logs of the fire and satisfied she had a sufficient source of heat, she looked out to the valley below in the distance, long shadows cast by the trees as the sun made its way down to the horizon. Dusk would be upon her soon. Taking a moment to adjust the fire and making sure it was well contained, Vanessa decided to retreat into her tent and rest for a bit. She felt drained from her day out in the field, and perhaps some relaxation would help to clear her mind. Walking over to her tent, she ducked inside and laid down, lightly closing her eyes, allowing the sounds of the late afternoon birds and light breeze ease her into a calm and peaceful state.

A few hours later Vanessa walked out of her tent, stretching as she adjusted to the cool Yellowstone air. The fire she had going was starting to fade, and with the waning light, she knew she'd need to adjust the flames. She glanced over to see how her wood supply was doing, and seeing how small the pile was, she knew she'd need to get more before nightfall. Luckily enough she didn't need to go far, as she was smart enough to pack some pre-cut logs in her CR-V. Heading toward her truck, she noted how charged the evening air felt. Despite her rest, the active energy was still present, and even stronger than when she had arrived at this spot three days ago. Every day she'd been here the energy built stronger than the day before. Now it felt at peak level. She couldn't explain what she was feeling, but she knew it had nothing to do with the sleeping volcano beneath her feet. It was something different. Like an excitement in the air, pushing an energy through the atmosphere, charging everything up.

She opened the door of her trunk and grabbed as much firewood as she could carry. She hadn’t bothered to ask anyone to come on this little trip with her. It was a small assignment she knew she could handle. Gabe pressed her to have him come along, mainly to help with the research, documentation, and general camping duties. But Vanessa made it clear to him that she was more than capable of handling things by herself. She was appreciative of Gabe's offer, but at times, even she had to admit she just needed to get away from things for a bit, and this was the perfect opportunity.

After placing the firewood down close to the fire, Vanessa made her way to the side of the pit and knelt down. She placed a few pieces onto the glowing embers and lowered her eyes to the dying coals. Drawing from the already charged atmosphere, she stared into the embers, a flash of golden orange flitting across her eyes. She felt the energy in her build, a warmth and heat that filled her, flowing through her being and making its way to the charged particles of the air and ground. She pushed the energy to build, and slowly, the glowing embers began to brighten. Small flames started to lick the new logs placed on the fire, and within a few more seconds grew large enough to engulf the new wood. Vanessa allowed the warmth and energy flow through her for a bit longer until she was satisfied with the intensity of the fire. After reaching an intensity to her satisfaction, she blinked and allowed herself to disengage with the fire element she had been manipulating. There were so many elements at work in Yellowstone. Sometimes her abilities found it hard to filter through what she needed, let alone concentrate. But with all of the practice she'd had over her life, she knew how to draw exactly from what she needed.

Finally satisfied, Vanessa stood up and found her way to one of the folding chairs, grabbing a bottle of beer and her charts of her earlier taken measurements. Sitting down, she glanced over her notes, the flickering light from the fire bouncing off her campsite. The sky still had some light in the west, but was an otherwise dusky blue. The air was crisp and clear, but comfortable. Crickets and frogs had already started their nighttime symphony and Vanessa smiled at their song. Even the distant howling wolf could be heard, charging the night even more.

She took a sip from her beer and grabbed the pen attached to her clipboard, making a slight adjustment. She continued to look over her paperwork for a few moments longer, when she suddenly stopped mid decimal point. The air had been relatively still this evening. But Vanessa suddenly felt something grab her attention. She listened intently to the environment around her, feeling with every fiber in her being. She managed to sense a disturbance in the air. It was a wind, high in the atmosphere, not having reached ground level yet. But she felt it nonetheless. The pressure in the air was changing, but she could sense it was not of a natural origin. Feeling her senses sharpen, they locked onto every element they could. All sound, smell, and feeling was intense, now part of a vibrant tapestry around her.

She found her eyes drifting upward and to the southwestern sky. Through a clearing in the trees she saw something peculiar in the atmosphere. She felt the disturbance resonate within her, forcing her to lock onto it even more greatly. The otherwise cloudless evening was very quickly forming clouds, and as Vanessa stood up from her chair to get a better look, she noted the clouds looked unlike anything she had ever seen. Staring into the sky, her face was illuminated with a bright light which had begun to emanate from the disturbance. It was a light reminiscent of an aurora borealis, but Vanessa had a strong suspicion this was something very far from an aurora borealis. No. This was something different.

Through the now numerous clouds, linear designs began to appear with the light, dancing and shifting in a ghostly fashion in the sky. Vanessa felt the energy in the air pressing upon her, and sensed it emanating from the point she was watching. Allowing her senses to be engulfed by the energy, she suddenly threw her arms up to shield her eyes, a pillar of bright multicolored light shooting suddenly down from the dancing colors in the sky. She braced herself as she felt the ground shake from the impact of the shock. The pillar of light pressed itself into the Earth, slowly rotating like a vibrant tornado. It illuminated the pines and mountains in the distance, twisting in a ghostly slow motion. Lasting for only a few seconds longer, it suddenly disappeared back into the sky nearly as soon as it had appeared.

Strains of residual light remained in the sky, the linear designs beginning to fade as the clouds created by the disturbance started to disperse. Vanessa kept her gaze up at the sky and the fading light for a few moments longer, but somehow realizing the display was over, she then found her gaze shift toward the direction of where the pillar of light had landed. She knew this was no ordinary occurrence, and like a moth to a flame found herself wondering just what had happened over there. The energy she had felt in the air earlier was no longer as pressing as it had been, apparently utilized by the disturbance. But there was still an energy present, pulling her over to the site of impact. She allowed her senses to reach out to scan the land and environment. Her main concern was with what had just happened, but she also took a survey of the environment underground. She needed to make sure the impact hadn't disturbed the sleeping giant underneath her feet.

She knelt down and put her hand to the ground, physically feeling the energy flow through her. She sent out energy signatures, allowing them to flow through the cracks and fissures of the Earth's crust and on down to the magma chamber below. She saw it in her mind. She felt the pressure. She felt the heat. She felt the movement. She felt her senses wrap themselves around the chamber and sweep over the rest of the park. Scanning the environment, she noted nothing appeared out of place. The levels seemed intact and otherwise stable. Yet among the signatures she sent out, some were pulled into one particular direction and point in the park, and she knew exactly why.

After assessing the most pressing elements of the park and making sure everything was safe, she allowed herself to slightly disengage with the overall energies of the park. But she instead refocused her senses only on the point where they pulled her the most. She slowly stood up from the ground and faced the area of impact from the pillar of light. She needed to get over there, and was compelled to figure out what had just happened. Grabbing her keys, she jumped into her car, turning on her auxiliary lights to travel over to the site.

The landing hurt. It hurt a lot more than Loki had remembered from the last time he'd travelled this way. He groaned as he watched the light in the sky slowly disappear, closing him off to his world for an indefinite amount of time. Still weak from the draining of his power, he inhaled and let his head rest on the ground below him. Pain still coursed through him, partially from the impact, but mostly from the draining of his power, and now he was left virtually defenseless. He closed his eyes. He felt defeated. He was angry, but he knew this was coming. Of course they would take this stance. Why was it he always ended up being in the wrong? When would his time come to finally get what he wanted? He furrowed his brow at the thought. He never really got what he wanted. Somehow it always took a turn for the worse. He inhaled again. So what now?

Loki opened his eyes and saw the light in the sky now almost completely gone. He glared up to the sky, hoping those who sent him here could see his scowl. He hoped they were satisfied. But a sudden thought occurred to him. This is what they wanted. They wanted to see his misery. And he was not about to give them that satisfaction. Loki sighed. Or perhaps they wanted something different for him. Ultimately, he felt damned no matter what they wanted.

He laid there for a moment, closing his eyes. He listened to the environment around him. It was quiet, with the exception of night sounds. Maybe he would be lucky and some weird Earth creature would come along and kill him. It wasn't that he had a death wish, but he felt at a proverbial dead end. After waiting a few minutes longer, and realizing his thought wasn't about to come to a reality, Loki opened his eyes and pushed himself up onto his side. He looked around.

It was dark, and he was in a clearing, surrounded by large pines – some of which had been knocked down by the impact of his arrival. There was some distant light from the sun, but it was definitely below the horizon line, so he knew he wouldn't have much time for any remaining light. He stood up and rolled his head on his neck while he stretched his arms. He knew he would be sore tomorrow, but at least the pain from the extraction of his power had dissipated considerably. He hoped the stretching might help.

Looking around, Loki realized there wasn't much indication of a direction he should head. He took a moment to center himself and see if any sense would kick in and show him a way. But he was still weak, and despite his efforts, nothing came to his aid. He felt truly lost. He looked around once more, and finally decided to just start walking. Eventually he would find something resembling civilization. Looking to his right, he decided it was as good a direction to head as any, and started walking.


	7. Ch. 7

Driving off road in this part of the country was more than a challenge. Vanessa's truck was tough, but the terrain was tougher. She was doing her best to find a path to make her way through the surrounding forest. Fortunately, she found what looked like an abandoned wagon trail to follow. It could have been a maintenance trail – this was a national park after all. But she was thankful for it nonetheless.

It took about 25 minutes to get close enough to the site where the disturbance had occurred. As she got closer, she slowed down in order to get a better look of her surroundings. Although she had no clue what she was looking for. Through the trees she briefly saw a clearing, where the ground clearly looked disturbed. But the brush was proving hard to get over to it. She turned her car to the left, seeking a path, when her head lights swept over something. Stopping her car, she shifted into reverse pointing her headlights back to what she had seen. Yet whatever she thought she had seen was no longer there. She creased her eyebrow, having sworn she had seen something that didn't fit the nature around her. She waited a few moments longer, waiting to see if anything would reveal itself to her. But after a few minutes of straining her eyes in the dark, nothing happened. Giving up and sighing she slowly pressed the accelerator to continue over to the clearing.

She finally made it through the trees and to the clearing, driving over to the impact site. She noted how the ground had settled as she shifted her car into park and opened her door. Looking up to the sky left no indication anything had happened, stars beginning to glint clearly above her. After finding nothing above her, she looked down, noticing an odd circular pattern just in front of her car. She stepped closer to the pattern and knelt down, touching her hand to it. An intricate pattern brushed across her fingertips, reminding her of Celtic knots. She felt a faint energy signature left behind, matching what she had picked up on before. This was clearly one source of the energy she'd felt in the air for the past few days. But scanning the area again with her senses, she was pulled in a direction back from where she came. She looked behind her to where her senses directed her, looking for any sign of what she was picking up, but saw nothing. Looking once again at the pattern, she stood up, and got back into her car. Time to let her intuition guide her.

He dodged the lights from the vehicle as soon as he saw them cutting their way through the trees. Evidently his entrance had attracted some attention. Loki allowed the lights to pass as he silently hid behind the trunk of a tree. He noticed them stop for a moment, indicating whoever was in the vehicle must have caught a glimpse of him. But soon after stopping, the lights moved on, the person inside the vehicle evidently giving up and continuing on. As the vehicle ventured on, so did he, following a rough path in the woods. Loki rubbed the arm he had landed on as he walked. Rubbing it, he looked back, catching a glimpse of the vehicle he'd dodged as it made its way out to where he had landed. He paused to turn and watch it through the trees. He saw it stop and a person step out, undoubtedly investigating the landing site. Even though he was curious to continue watching, he knew he needed to keep moving. So turning once again Loki continued to follow the path.

He walked for a while longer, allowing himself to adjust to the environment around him. It wasn't completely unlike anything he had seen in his life, but something about this place did feel different. He could see a bit more of the landscape in the distance in various spots on the path, and noticed how rugged the terrain was. It appeared to stretch on for hundreds of miles. One peculiar thing he noticed were plumes of what looked like smoke rising from various spots in the landscape. He wasn't sure if it was fire or something else, but it put him on a bit of an edge. Loki never had pegged Earth for a volatile place, but perhaps his perceptions of Earth were very wrong. He knew from his last visit, the people of this planet certainly proved volatile enough. He had underestimated their strength and was now paying the price – only to be sentenced among them. And now, they could do whatever they wanted to him, and he was literally powerless to stop them.

As this thought crossed Loki's mind, he again saw the sweep of lights reflect on the trees ahead of him. They were coming from behind him. He looked back and saw the vehicle he had seen before winding its way back down the path. Again dodging the lights, he found another tree to flatten himself against. He figured the vehicle would pass him up and he'd be left to his solitude once more, but to his dismay the vehicle slowed down once again. Loki creased his brow, almost positive he hadn't been seen this time - so why were they stopping? He waited, the lights of the vehicle shining beyond him, illuminating the dark forest. Praying for the vehicle to move on, he cringed as he heard what sounded like a door opening and the crackle of leaves on the ground. He took a small glance toward his visitor, and saw it was a woman. She remained close to the vehicle, holding onto the open door, surveying the trees around her. She began to look in his direction and he quickly jerked himself back behind the tree, out of her view.

Refusing to move a muscle, Loki remained silent. Alertness overpowered his fear, but silently he hoped she would move on. The forest fell quiet as she shut off her idling engine, but remained illuminated by her headlights. He heard the door of her vehicle shut, and the rustling of leaves as she began to move. He strained his ears. He could swear she was moving in his direction. But how? Listening intently, he heard her steps approach closer, finally slowing down. Suddenly they stopped.

Vanessa knew she sensed something in these woods. She wasn't a psychic mutant. But she sensed an energy signature that was unlike the rest of the environment, and it pulled her toward it. It felt alive, like another life force, and for some reason she felt herself picking up on it. She felt it strongly just in front of her, but was hesitant to look just beyond its point of origin. Fear was not her main concern, but she wasn't about to jump into something that might get messy. She was curious, but not an idiot.

She narrowed her eyes at the tree in front of her. Something or someone just beyond it. But a new sensation suddenly told her to stop. Whatever or whoever was beyond that tree obviously didn't want to be found. She couldn't explain what was stopping her, but something kept her from pressing forward.

She sighed. She was frustrated, but knew she should let things go for now. Whatever the signature was, turning her back on it didn’t feel dangerous. She started to walk back to her car and glanced back once more. She sighed, briefly shaking her head. Stepping back into her car, she turned on the ignition and hit the gas. For some reason she found herself sending some of her strength to whomever or whatever it was which did not want to be found.

He let himself relax when he heard her retreat and return to her vehicle. Loki didn't know what made her stop, but he thanked whatever it was. His heart still beat hard, hearing his own pulse in his ear. He didn't know why his adrenaline was up so high, but this had been a weird day – to say the least. Perhaps it was starting to take a toll on him, and as he started to relax he noticed the fatigue catching up to him. But now was not the time for rest. He needed to move onward. Looking on and waiting until the vehicle was only a faint rumble in the distance, he found his way back to the path, soldiering forward.

Loki walked for another hour and a half, becoming more tired with each step. But he pushed himself onward. He didn't know what he was looking for, but apparently he hadn't found it yet. As he walked his nose began to pick up on the familiar smell of smoke, a hint of food cooking over a flame mixing in. The smell was delicious and he found it beckoning him toward it. He could sense it was coming from ahead of him, yet searching the brush before him, his eyes couldn't pick up on any light. But it was certainly a familiar smell, and he decided to follow it. He continued on the path to see if he could find the source of the scent, and making his way through the trees, he saw a faint flickering of a flame, finding himself drawn toward it.

When Vanessa arrived back to her camp, she was far from tired. Instead, she was wide awake and full of energy. But since she had little to entertain herself with, she decided to heat up some soup from the collection of cans she had brought with her for the trip.

She grabbed her portable camping grill, placing it over the flames of her fire. Grabbing a small pot and can opener, she began pouring in the soup, placing the pot on the grill above the flames. As the soup began to cook, she sat back in her chair and took a glance around. The presence of energy she had been tracking was still strong, and she felt it on the move. It appeared to be following the same path she had from the impact site.

She inhaled gently. Leave it alone. Something in her told her to let go and relax. She looked back up to the sky where the disturbance had occurred over an hour ago now. The sky was silent, a few sparse clouds making their way across it. Yet she couldn't keep her eyes off the spot. It was like she was hoping it would happen again, and keeping an eye on it would assure her of this. Yet she knew it was unlikely. Sighing at the inactivity, she walked over to her cooler and grabbed an iced tea. Perhaps beer wasn't the best choice this time around if she wanted to stay alert.

Keeping an eye on the forest around her, she let her soup cook, and moved to stir it. She let the energy of the night fuel her and let some of it flow from her. She needed to remain alert but relax at the same time. Taking a blanket she'd been using as a cushion on the chair, she wrapped it around herself, the temperature having dropped considerably with the waning sunlight. Waiting for her soup to cook, she noticed the fireflies dancing in the night air, making a graceful spectacle in the darkness. It calmed her, watching the beauty and elegance they added to the night. As she admired the nighttime show, she soon began to smell the enticing scent of the soup over the fire. Ladling some into a mug, she began to sip on its rich taste. Leaning back in her chair, she clutched the mug as it warmed her hands, surveying the forest around her.

The food smell was overpowering. He was definitely closer now. He slowed his pace and let what bit of energy he had left to make him more alert. Close enough to see the fire through the trees, he saw a structure that looked like a tent, and the familiar vehicle he had seen before. Surveying the site, he saw the fire with the delectable smelling food cooking over it, and next to the fire was the woman he had seen exit the vehicle. She sat in the chair, a cup in her hands, appearing to be lost in thought. His eyes flitted to the food over the flame once again, and he licked his lips. He could feel his stomach begging for sustenance, but prayed it wouldn't growl and give him away.

If he wanted a meal, he was going to have to think up some good reason as to why he was intruding on this woman's campsite. And was intruding on her campsite the smartest idea in the first place? Perhaps he should move on and find someplace else to get food. The flames of her fire reflected off his eyes as he stared from it to her. She was fairly attractive, the flames reflecting off her face and long dark hair. Perhaps he could charm her into giving him the food. He rolled his eyes. Who was he kidding? He wasn't his brother Thor. And he had a strong feeling charm was not what would save him right now. Regardless of how he was going to achieve his goal, he knew he needed to think of something. Putting on an act just didn't feel right to him. Perhaps if he stuck to something close to the truth, it would work, and then he'd see where that got him. He took a breath and took a step forward, hoping beyond hope she wouldn't recognize him and have the authorities dragging him away in chains.

Sitting by the fire, Vanessa found herself watching the dancing flames and listening to their hypnotic crackle. Yet amongst their flicker, she suddenly picked up something extra in the atmosphere, adding to the night sounds. The energy signature she had been tracking suddenly felt very close, and she couldn't believe she had allowed herself to lose track of it for a bit. Maybe she was more tired than she thought. Yet beyond the noise of the fire, she heard what sounded like footsteps coming toward her campsite. Looking over to her right where she heard the noise, she saw nothing, but she definitely sensed something. She felt compelled to stand and get a better look, but something in her told her to remain seated and calm. The last thing she wanted to do was scare it off, so instead she peered calmly into the dark woods to see what was about to reveal itself to her.

A tall figure stepped deftly through the brush, the firelight illuminating the white of its skin. As it closed the distance between them, she saw it was a tall man, with dark hair. He appeared to be wearing a long sleeve shirt of a dark green, and coming more into the light, she noticed the style of his shirt didn't look quite like typical men's fashion. Although, what did she really know about fashion? But she did notice designs on it that matched the circular pattern she'd seen in the clearing from before. Finally stepping beyond the brush surrounding Vanessa's campsite, she was able to see his features better. He had light eyes, and a long yet attractive face. She could see his long slightly dishelved hair as it caught some of the firelight in front of her. He didn't appear much older than herself, and as she studied him, something about him seemed familiar. She too sensed the strong energy signature emanating from him. He was definitely what she had been sensing all along.

She slowly set down her mug, calmly standing to get a better look. He paused at the edge of the campsite and appeared to be studying her in the same way she was him. For a moment neither one of them spoke, and Vanessa noted the air changing between them. She felt the excited nature of the energy transform into a calm, and wasn't quite sure what she was sensing, but something was definitely present in the air between them. Her eyes momentarily drifted to the fireflies, doing their graceful dance around her campsite, adding to the calm of the atmosphere. A few more moments of silence passed between them, when she decided to be the first to speak.

"Can I help you?" she asked, a questioning look adorning her face.

She saw him refocus. He took a small step forward and politely gestured in Vanessa's direction.

"Um, yes, actually. I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the nearest town. I'm afraid I'm a bit lost," he replied. She noted what sounded like a refined British accent. But something told her he was far from British.

She nodded her head slightly, processing his request.

"Sure. Nearest town is about 70 miles north of here," she answered succinctly, moving her head in the direction behind her.

He nodded.

"Right," he replied, pausing. He lightly clapped his hands together. "Well then, thank you," he said nodding, and started to take some steps in the direction she'd indicated.

She felt the soft breeze he created walking past her as he continued on his journey, yet raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"It'd be much faster if you drove there. It’s going to take you at least five hours by foot," she stated bluntly.

He stopped in his tracks, turning around to look at her.

"Well, I would, but unfortunately it appears that I've lost my," he started, pausing to remember the word. What did they call those things? He was trying to remember from his last visit to Earth. Vanessa gave him a questioning look, waiting for him to continue.

"Well, you know, lost my," he said, placing a hand on his hip and gesturing to her car.

She glanced behind her and nodded.

"Car?" she asked, guessing that was what he was referring to.

Recognition struck him.

"Yes, yes, I've lost my car. Yes. Um, so, that is why I won't be uh, driving there," he said, dredging his memory for other vocabulary he had come across from his last visit to Earth.

"Uh-huh," Vanessa stated, crossing her arms. "And exactly how long have you been wandering around in these woods looking for your car?" she asked, already unconvinced of his story.

"Um, for a few hours. I guess I just ventured off the path a bit too far," he stated. That definitely wasn't a lie.

Vanessa nodded. "Right," she commented, staring at him. He stared right back, unsure of where to go in the conversation. Suddenly his eyes shifted from her to the soup over the fire behind her. She caught the direction of his gaze and looked back at the same thing. She turned back to him.

"Well, that's all well and good, but quite frankly, this is dangerous country to be walking that long of a journey in the dark. Between the bears, wolves, and boiling pools of spring water, you're pretty lucky to be alive as it is," she noted, going along with his story.

He nodded, briefly looking down.

"And, given your apparent confusion, it sounds to me like you've been lost in the woods for more than a mere few hours," she stated, her arms still crossed. Once again, he noted, she wasn't wrong – at least not about the part of being lost in the woods. Given the turn his life had just taken, he was definitely more than lost.

Cocking her hip to the side, she saw his eyes flicker back to the food. He diverted his gaze from it, letting a guilty expression slip over his face. Vanessa couldn't help but allow a small smile to escape her.

"Well, if you intend on making such an arduous journey, you’re probably going to need something to eat," she commented. At the mention of food he inadvertently swallowed in anticipation of satiating his hunger, but he tried to divert his attention anyway.

"Oh, I couldn't intrude," he started, but his body language betrayed him.

"It's no intrusion," Vanessa stated matter-of-factly, her eyes half lidded.

The man stared at her, unsure if her invitation was a smart choice to make. It seemed a little too easy. As much as he wanted to accept, he maintained his caution.

"No, it's a very generous offer, but I couldn't," he stated, gesturing.

Vanessa shifted her weight to her other leg.

"Don’t be silly. I have more than enough to go around," she stated, pausing briefly. She put her hands in the air to indicate slight defeat. "But, it's up to you."

He looked from her to the food and then back to her again. His stomach ached at the smell, being so close yet so far. And even though he wanted it so badly, for some reason he didn't want to venture closer. He felt like he was encroaching on her territory. It wasn't as though he found her immensely intimidating, but something made him cautious.

Vanessa could feel the tension in the air, and decided to soften up a little. She certainly had her suspicions about this man, but she needed to lighten up. Whoever this man was, he certainly appeared to have gone through some sort of ordeal, so the least she could do was relax a little.

She uncrossed her arms and waved him into her camp, a softer smile on her face.

"Come on. I've got plenty," she stated, walking toward the fire.

He looked down, and then back to her, as she walked toward the camp, grabbing another mug and ladle. "I hope you like vegetable beef," she stated, ladling the soup into a mug. Deciding it truly was better than going hungry for the night, and the fact that he was meeting his original objective, he walked over to the side of the fire.

"Here you go," she stated, handing him the mug with the steaming soup. "Enjoy," she smiled as she sat in her chair, grabbing her own mug.

With the soup in hand, he inhaled its glorious scent. Nothing could have smelled better to him at that moment, and despite his hunger, he gingerly tipped the cup to his mouth, allowing the warm soup to reach his lips. A warm, beefy taste invaded his mouth and he swallowed hungrily. It felt wonderful to have the taste linger in his mouth. As he sipped his mug, he stood next to the fire, Vanessa watching him. She could tell he was enjoying his meal.

She gestured to the spare chair she had set up around her fire. She had been using it to hold her paperwork, but at the moment it remained paperwork free.

"Please, sit down," she suggested.

"Oh," the man stated, interrupted in his flavorful experience. He made his way to the chair and sat down. "Thank you," he replied, looking at Vanessa as he sat down. He brought the soup to his lips and continued enjoying his meal.

Vanessa continued to watch him, sipping on her own soup from time to time. She watched him like she was studying him. He appeared so engrossed in his meal that he didn't seem to notice. Or perhaps he didn't care. Either way, she pondered his appearance at her fireside. She decided to ladle some more soup into her mug.

"So, what's a guy like you doing all the way out here in a place like this?" she asked, starting conversation.

He took a break from his soup and looked to Vanessa, a questioning look upon his face.

"Um, well," he started. How to explain? "It's a uh, a vacation of sorts," he began, going with whatever sounded cohesive.

"Of sorts," Vanessa repeated, trying to follow this guy. He looked briefly to her. He could tell she was trying to figure him out – perhaps test him.

"Well, you know, sometimes when things don't quite go your way, and you just need to retire for a bit," he explained. Yeah, that sounded good.

"Ah," she stated, nodding in agreement. "So you could say you're taking a break from it all?" she supplied.

His eyes drifted down to the soup in his hands, and then back to her.

"Um, yes. Precisely," he confirmed.

"So uh, how bad did things go for you that you needed to get away?" she asked.

His gaze landed upon the fire, slightly nodding with an air acknowledgment in his gesture.

"They, uh, got pretty bad," he admitted, his eyes briefly meeting hers. That certainly wasn't a lie.

Vanessa nodded.

"Yeah, I've been down that road before," she said, the firelight reflecting off her face, a calm but serious expression upon it. "It's rough," she added, looking briefly to him.

"Yes," the man agreed. The fire continued to crackle as peaceful silence passed between them.

"Do you think this little vacation will help?" Vanessa asked curiously, interrupting the calm.

He stared into the fire contemplatively, furrowing his brow. He looked to Vanessa.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. He didn't know what he was looking for or what he wanted. He felt like he was starting over. Again.

"Hm," Vanessa added, adopting a similar contemplative demeanor, leaning back in her chair. A peaceful silence engulfed them again, both finding comfort in the warm light of the flickering flames. Vanessa took another sip of her soup. Lowering her cup, she looked over at the man.

"You know, I don't think I caught your name," she stated suddenly. Slight panic overtook Loki’s face as he jerked the cup away from his mouth, almost choking. He hadn't quite thought that far ahead.

"Um," he started, clearing his throat a bit. "Right," he began again. Vanessa looked at him, a relatively expectant expression on her face. He shifted his gaze to her, and then to the ground. "I'm Lo -," he began, but stopped himself. He couldn't go with his real name. He needed to think fast. "Um, my name is Logan," he blurted out. It was the best he could do.

"Logan," Vanessa repeated, skepticism laced within her voice.

"Yes. Logan. Logan Loffson," he continued, adding a last name in order to sound a little more authentic. He cringed. Loffson was a little too close to his real name – well, at least the one granted by his biological father, Laufey. But it was going to have to do for now. He certainly couldn't tell her his real name was Loki, the very Loki who attacked Earth and was pathetically beaten by the Avengers in the previous year. He didn't know who this woman was, who her connections were, or if she would even recognize him, but he knew he couldn't risk his exposure – at least not yet.

Vanessa sat back in her chair, contemplating his answer. She looked at him skeptically, and he almost thought she was going to blow his cover, but she suddenly looked ahead of her in the distance.

"I know a guy named Logan," she stated suddenly. A perplexed expression formed on Loki's face. Well, that wasn't what he was expecting. "He's pretty cool. Super sexy," she stated matter-of-factly, like he knew what she was talking about. Loki let his eyes wander away from her, trying to figure out where she was going with this. "Yeah, but he never returns my calls. I think he's avoiding me," she went on. Loki maintained his perplexed stare, while Vanessa continued to gaze into the distance, her eyes scrunched up in a reverie of some kind. She suddenly shook her head and blinked. "Oh well. I'm sure I'll get him one of these days. Anyway, my name is Vanessa," she stated suddenly, shaken out of her reverie, leaning forward, extending her hand toward Loki.

He looked at her, almost reluctant to do anything, but slowly extended his hand, grasping hers.

"Vanessa Hughes," she added. "Nice to meet 'cha Logan," she smiled, shaking his hand.

He nodded, a mildly skeptical expression still on his face.

"Likewise," he replied. What exactly had he gotten himself into?

He leaned back in his chair, keeping an eye on this woman. He wasn't sure how to gauge her. One minute she seemed defensive, the next welcoming, then the next distant. One thing he noticed for sure was a sense of strong confidence about her. Given her questions of him, he seemed to sense her suspicion of him. He wasn't convinced she believed his story so far, but on the off chance that she did, he didn't dare blow his cover.

More of the peaceful calm passed between them, Loki enjoying his dinner and Vanessa enjoying the now peaceful night air.

"So, I assume you're fairly eager to reach civilization huh?" she asked suddenly. Loki looked over at her.

"Well, not exactly. I mean, yes, I am, but, mainly just to find a place to stay for the next few days," he replied. He knew he wasn't making much sense. What _did_ he want?

Vanessa narrowed her eyes and looked briefly to the side.

"So, that's a 'yes'?" she asked.

Loki sighed and leaned back in his chair looking defeatedly at the fire.

"I guess," he admitted. But something jolted him back to reality. He looked up suddenly to Vanessa. "But you on no account are required to help me. I don't want to take you away from what you're doing here," he stated seriously. Despite his own issues and anger at the universe, he felt that relying on anyone other than himself was another acknowledgement of his weakness. He needed to figure this out on his own and do things his own way. But Vanessa was already standing up and grabbing the paperwork she had been working on, taking it over to her car.

"Nonesense. You've been out here wandering around for who knows how long,” she started, reaching to open the door of her car. “I’m sure you’d benefit from a good night’s sleep in a decent bed,” she commented.

"No really, I insist. I couldn’t ask you to do that for me. You've done enough already," he stated, almost pleading with the woman.

Vanessa turned around suddenly after placing her paperwork in the back seat of her car.

"Look Logan, with all due respect, I cannot with good conscience allow you to just get up and wander this park at night in hopes you will eventually find civilization. You'll be lucky if you make it 10 miles from here," Vanessa warned, a hand on her hip, pointing to the general wilderness to better illustrate her point.

Loki rolled his eyes and furrowed his brow.

"I'm fairly certain I can handle myself," he defended. "Why are you so quick to assume I can’t?" he asked, challenging her. His blood slightly boiled at the insinuation he was helpless. He had seen some of the most horrible places of the universe in his previous exile from Asgard. If he could survive that, he could certainly survive this.

"Well, I'd love to assume you can handle yourself, but considering your apparent confusion upon your arrival to my campsite, it appears evident you didn’t come on this trip fully prepared," she stated, folding her arms over her chest.

Loki slowly stood up, placing his mug on the ground beside him. He took a few slow steps toward the woman.

"And how can you not attribute that to fatigue? I could merely be dehydrated or malnourished," he suggested, matching her argument. He hated to admit that this little debate was entertaining him. A sly smile had appeared on his face, showcasing his delight. "And now that you have so graciously fed me, for which I am very grateful, I will now just as graciously bow out and be on my way," he smiled, starting to walk past her. He made a few steps beyond her when her voice was stopping him once again.

"You know, there's also the chance you'll be stopped by an authority of the park," she stated, a triumphant smile on her lips. He turned his upper body to look back at her. "You see, the park closes at dusk," she stated, taking slow steps toward him. "And if you're caught in the park after dark without clearance, there is not only a hefty fine to pay, but you will be escorted by the authorities and questioned as to what business you had in the park at night," she explained, her hand making its way back to her hip. She cocked her eyebrow at him. "Yet conveniently enough, it appears as though I have said clearance. So I am free as a bird. But you, on the other hand," she continued, gesturing to him. She didn't finish the sentence, since even he knew the outcome.

He glared down at her. He was starting to regret involving himself with this woman. He would have been better off if he had avoided her altogether and tried his luck getting through this forest without her help. But she did have a point. The last thing he wanted was to be captured by the authorities of Earth. He would most definitely be recognized among them and his fate would be sealed. But was he actually going to put his trust in this woman? For all he knew, she'd deal him the same hand as the authorities she spoke of.

He eyed her suspiciously, trying to figure her out. She stared into his eyes defiantly, cocking her eyebrow, as if to ask what his decision was. He looked away, and taking a breath looked at her once again. "Fine," he stated. "If you'd like me to escort you out of here so badly, then so be it," he added, trying to take a slight jab at her pride. But it failed to shake her. She smiled triumphantly.

"Good boy," she fired back.

Loki narrowed his eyes at that last comment, but he let it slide, watching her walk back toward the fire as she began to gather the two chairs she'd set up. He decided in order to get things moving, the best thing to do was help her clean up her camp. So walking over he began to help her take down her tent and gather the rest of her things for their journey, praying he'd made the right decision to trust this woman.


	8. Ch. 8

Loki stared out the dark window as the nighttime scenery passed by at 45 miles an hour. Moonlight scattered amongst the trees, shining brightly on the surrounding forest. They had been in the car for about a half hour. Loki tried to settle himself more in his seat as Vanessa drove. The air between them was heavy with questions – at least that was how Loki felt. But given he was currently at this woman’s mercy, he knew he'd have to tread lightly, until he had more of an advantage. More scenery continued to pass them by.

"Why did you assume I didn’t have clearance?" Loki asked out of the blue.

Vanessa looked over at him briefly.

"What?" she asked.

"To be in the park," he clarified.

"Oh," Vanessa answered, one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting comfortably in her lap. She shrugged, her eyes remaining on the road. "Call it a hunch," she started, pausing. "You didn't immediately correct me, so I think it was safe to assume you didn't," she explained calmly.

Loki nodded. Admittedly, he didn't feel her response was her true suspicion, although perhaps that was his own paranoia seeping through.

"So, if you thought I didn't have a pass to get in here, how do you think I entered the park in the first place?" Loki asked, curious of her response.

Vanessa drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. She had the oddest feeling she was being tested by this man.

"Well, sometimes people wander into the park without going through the official entrances," she suggested. "It's rare, given the harsh terrain," she continued. "But, perhaps some people have the strength to beat those odds," she stated. Her eyes drifted briefly to the man sitting next to her. A small smile appeared on her face, for a reason she wasn't so sure of. He looked to her, their eyes briefly making contact, and he nodded, acknowledging her logic. He could agree with it for now.

The rest of the drive proved relatively uneventful as they made their way out of the park. True to form, there were guards at the exit Vanessa had mentioned earlier. They briefly questioned her about "Logan" in the car beside her, but she merely waved him off as a student intern. Appearing to buy her explanation the guard allowed them to pass easily out of the park. Loki looked over to Vanessa grateful for her quick thinking.

About another 20 minutes of driving and Loki found himself looking at a small city nestled in the foothills of some of the surrounding mountains. The warm lights of the city glistened at their approach and Vanessa felt herself relax.

"Welcome to Obsidian Ridge," Vanessa stated, a warmer smile adorning her face. Loki found himself staring at what looked like a quaint town. They entered into what seemed to be the main street, lined with grocery shops, boutiques, restaurants, and tourist shops. Some larger buildings also occupied the main street, which to Loki looked like lodging. If he remembered his vocabulary correctly, they called those 'hotels.' The look of the town was rustic, and had a warm quality about it. Many of the buildings had a cabin-like style to them. As he admired the architecture, his eyes caught light ahead of them, noticing smaller dots of light in the forest going up the mountainside. He also happened to notice he and Vanessa appeared to be headed in that direction.

Vanessa continued to follow the main road, winding its way out of the heart of the city and up into the forest. The forest was relatively thick, but winding driveways appeared here and there, offering glimpses of the opulent mountain cabins and houses residing in the area. After ten minutes more, and Loki wondering if they would ever stop, Vanessa took a turn onto a road to the left, following another winding way. As they drove, a clearing in the trees revealed a large property, where Loki and Vanessa were welcomed by two large multistory cabins, unified by one large deck. The cabins appeared to almost grow out of the mountainside, their large wall sized windows overlooking the entire valley below.

Loki noticed lights on inside, indicating life in the cabins. Approaching, Loki could swear he saw someone walking across one of the rooms. Vanessa drove to the back of the property, parking her car in the large driveway behind the houses. She looked over to Loki.

"Welcome to my humble abode," she smiled, opening the car door and stepping out. Loki followed suit and shut the door as she grabbed her duffle bag from the back seat and started toward the home. Vanessa stepped through the door in the garage and into the laundry room, walking directly into the kitchen, placing her duffle bag on the kitchen table.

"Hi honeys, I'm home!" she yelled in the general direction of the living room. She knew she heard the television on in there. Gabe was the first to appear from around the corner.

"Vanessa! What are you doing back?" he asked, surprised she had returned early.

"What, no 'Vanessa I missed you so much, why did you leave me to wallow in my loneliness?'" she retorted smartly. Gabe raised his eyebrows.

"Well, you know, I mean, yeah, welcome back, but, I meant, we didn’t expect you back so soon. I thought you'd be out there for a few more days," he explained.

"Well, as much as I knew you were hoping to host a few more raves while I was gone, looks like you're gonna have to put those plans on hold," she returned. She walked to the fridge to grab a drink. She looked to Loki, holding one out to him.

"You want one?" she asked. He was almost startled at her request, as he tried to quickly digest the environment around him. He looked to her.

"Um, sure," he said, taking the drink from her. However, he found himself distracted when he caught sight of movement from where the first man had come.

Jesse strode in leisurely holding an already opened pop can, flanked by Stephen walking behind him.

"Well hey there boss," Jesse smiled, greeting her. "Have a nice expedition?" he asked.

Vanessa smiled.

"Oh you know, it had all the excitement a topography survey typically does," she replied. She leaned against the middle island in the kitchen. "But things were spiced up after this individual happened upon my campsite," she smiled, nodding to Loki who hung behind her.

"Guys, this is Logan. Logan, I'd like you to meet my team," she introduced, gesturing out to the men in the kitchen. She strained her neck trying to peak into the living room from her position. "Well, almost my team. Adam? You in there?" she yelled into the living room.

"Oh come on, can't a guy get some time to watch his favorite porn in peace?" a voice yelled from the other room.

She smiled and looked to Loki. "Yep, that's my team for ya. True gems of the academic arena," she commented, taking a swig of her drink.

"I heard that," Adam yelled, straining his voice against what obviously sounded like an action movie on in the background.

"I think he missed you," Jesse supplied, looking over to Vanessa and smiling. He shifted his gaze and made a movement toward Loki holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you, I'm Jesse," he greeted, Loki taking his hand and shaking it.

"How do you do?" Loki replied, grasping his hand firmly and nodding his head. He felt the need to assert himself a little more as more men filtered into the room.

"Yeah, he's going to be rooming with us for a few days," Vanessa explained, her eyes briefly flitting over to Loki. "Found the poor thing wandering around in the woods all kinds of lost. Just had to bring him home with me," she continued, adorning a small pouty face. Loki raised a brow at her. More footsteps were heard coming from the living room.

"You bringing home strange men again? Need I remind you of what happened the last time? I still can't get the stains out of the carpet," Adam asked, following suit and grabbing a beer from the fridge.

Vanessa eyed him suspiciously and took a drink from her beer, purposefully ignoring his comment.

"Hey, speaking of strange,” Gabe started, breaking the sudden tension in the air. “Did you see that crazy light earlier?" Gabe asked, excitement lacing his voice. Loki's eyes shot to Vanessa who looked over at him calmly.

"Crazy light?" Vanessa asked.

"Yeah, it was this crazy looking pillar thing. I've never seen anything like it," Gabe continued, excitement in his eyes. "It only lasted for a few seconds. But it looked like it landed close to your campsite."

Vanessa looked to her other team members.

"You guys know what he’s talking about?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Nah, I was too busy watching my porn," Adam supplied, a wide smile on his face.

Jesse shifted his weight and looked down to the floor, a small chuckle escaping him. He shook his head.

"Gabe, maybe it was lightning," Stephen suggested, keeping his voice low. Gabe crossed his arms.

"Oh come on. None of you saw it?” he asked, looking to each of his team members. “It wasn't like any kind of lightning I've ever seen," Gabe went on, certain what he saw wasn't his imagination. "But it was awesome. You had to have seen it Vanessa," he pressed, looking to his boss.

Vanessa scrunched up her eyebrows. Loki watched her, unsure of what to expect.

"Nope, can't say it sounds familiar,” she answered resolutely. Her eyes met Gabe’s. “Maybe I was napping or something," she replied.

Gabe rolled his eyes, almost giving an exasperated gesture.

"Oh come on, you mean nobody else saw it but me? It was so bright," Gabe went on. "It was this pillar of light that had all of the colors in the rainbow in it,” he explained further, truly fascinated by the phenomenon. “It was amazing," Gabe continued.

"Colors of the rainbow? Gabe, I told you to stop mashing up the marshmallows in Lucky Charms and snorting them. It’s bad for you man," Adam retorted to Gabe's rant.

Gabe looked behind to Adam.

"I'm telling you, I saw something,” Gabe answered, completely convinced of what he’d seen. “I'm a scientist damn it. I wouldn't lie about an observation like that," Gabe defended.

The rest of the team looked at each other, unsure of what to believe, an awkward silence growing between them.

Breaking the silence, Vanessa suddenly clapped her hands together.

"Ok guys, feel free to continue your little pow-wow here, but Logan has had a long and tiresome journey, and I'm sure he'd like a chance to rest. Plus, we don't want his brain to rot hanging around you guys and this conversation," she said, scanning her boys and giving them a pointed look. "But, I'm going to request he stay in one of the extra rooms in your cabin, since, you know, you're men and stuff," Vanessa stated, waving them off. She needed to get this train back on the tracks. Jesse took the cue from Vanessa and looked to Loki.

"I can show him to the extra room if you like," Jesse offered.

Vanessa smiled.

"I can always count on you Jesse," she complimented. "That's why you're my favorite."

"Suck up," Adam commented, looking to Jesse.

"Oh, and Jesse, do you think you could let him borrow some clothes? He doesn’t appear to have any spares," Vanessa asked, looking over to Loki, who watched her carefully.

"No problem," he replied, a calm smile on his face. "Come on, the room is this way," he smiled, nodding his head in the direction toward the living room. Jesse stepped out, Loki following him, the rest of the group wandering back into the living room.

As Loki walked with Jesse, he overheard Gabe insist of what he saw.

"I'm telling you, I saw a definitive pillar of light. Wasn't there something like that with that Avengers thing in New York? Or that Thor guy. Right? I need to get a hold of Jane Foster. She'd know I'm not crazy," Gabe went on.

"Yeah, yeah, Gabe. I think you need to lay off the beer so late at night. And the Lucky Charms," Adam countered, jabbing Gabe once again.

Loki followed Jesse as he made his way to the stairs, finding himself looking around at the large cabin. It definitely had a cozy feel to it, but was more modern in appearance. After crossing the living room, Loki followed Jesse up some stairs to the second floor and to a loft. With the large windows looking out from the living room, on the second floor Loki could see through them to the expansive valley and landscape below. They certainly had a great view from this location. Despite the beautiful view, which Loki imagined was even better in the daytime, he found himself lagging behind Jesse, who stopped at the beginning of a hallway lined with several doors.

"Unfortunately most of us have taken up the majority of the rooms up here, but luckily we keep one open for guests," Jesse stated as he popped into a bedroom at the front of the hallway, flipping the light on. As they made their way in, Jesse walked across the room to the nightstand on the opposite side of the bed to add a little more light. "I hope this one will do for you. You've got a great view of the valley below from here," Jesse said, gesturing to the window behind him. Loki walked in and nodded to Jesse, thanking him for his kindness. Jesse looked around the room. "Guests get the best room in the house. It's the only room with a bathroom attached to it," he explained pointing to his left at a doorway in the wall next to the bed. "Everything is in there, and if you need anything don't be afraid to ask. We can always hook you up. Oh, which reminds me," he continued, briefly exiting the room and walking further down the hallway. Loki walked to the dresser on his left, distracting himself by looking at the few knick-knacks decorating it. He heard footsteps coming back down the hall, Jesse returning with a small pile of folded clothing in his hands. He smiled as he handed it to Loki.

"Here you go. I hope it all fits. If not, I can ask the other guys if they have something that does. There's a set of pajamas in there too, so you have something comfortable to sleep in," Jesse explained as Loki took the clothing from him.

"Thank you. You really didn't have to," Loki responded, a wave of guilt washing over him. He didn't feel comfortable having these people take care of him. He didn't even know what he was doing here. Shouldn't he be suffering? Shouldn't he be on his own, keeping a low profile? Wasn't that the point of exile? What was with the kindness of these people?

Jesse waved Loki's comment off.

"Oh, it's no problem. We're glad to welcome a visitor," Jesse smiled. He let his hand rest on the dresser as Loki placed the clothing on it. "So lost in Yellowstone, huh?" Jesse asked, curious about this new visitor's story.

"Sorry?" Loki asked, confused as to what Jesse was referring.

"Vanessa said you were lost in the park. You venture off a trail or something?" Jesse asked, clarifying.

"Oh," Loki replied, pausing before answering. "Yellowstone" was the term throwing him off. He didn't quite understand what that referred to. But despite his confusion he looked to Jesse, slightly nodding. "Yes, something like that," he answered, looking slightly to the side.

Jesse nodded. "Well, you're lucky you came across Vanessa. It's a risk wandering the park at night," Jesse commented.

Loki lightly nodded. "Yes. That was what she said," Loki responded, not too enthusiastically. Jesse picked up on his uncomfortable demeanor.

"Something bothering you?" Jesse asked, furrowing his eyebrows in slight concern.

Loki looked up to Jesse. He sighed.

"Look, I'm very grateful for all of your generosity, but I can't stay here," he started. Jesse creased his brow, questioning Loki's statement. "I only wanted to get to the nearest town. Vanessa was nice enough to provide that, but I didn't mean for her to take me to her home. I really can't take advantage of your generosity like this," Loki explained. He meant what he said. It wasn't that he felt uncomfortable with these people, but the situation seemed too convenient. Perhaps he felt like he needed to punish himself, which sounded absurd when he really thought about it. But he felt like he needed to be alone – or at least out of the public eye. He felt like he was succumbing to failure by allowing others to take responsibility of him. Despite Loki's discomfort, Jesse merely smiled at Loki's statement.

"Hey, it's not a problem. Really," he responded genuinely. "Look, I can't force you to stay here, and if you truly feel it best you leave, then do what you have to do. But we really are more than happy to help you out and give you a place to stay. It's really no problem," Jesse explained warmly. He could see Loki's discomfort still apparent as he looked around the room, avoiding Jesse's gaze. From Jesse's perspective, he got the feeling this guy was struggling with himself about something. Jesse reached out and put a hand on Loki's shoulder. "Come on. Just stick around for a day or so. At least until you get yourself back on your feet," he suggested kindly. Loki looked at him, and then allowed his eyes to drift to the side, as if he was thinking the suggestion over. Just as he was about to respond, he heard footsteps coming down the hallway toward them.

"So, you getting Logan all settled in?" Vanessa inquired, entering the room and checking in on them. Jesse looked to Loki, who stared back, and gave his shoulder a pat.

"I think so," Jesse stated confidently, smiling. Loki raised his brow, as if to admit defeat, and then nodded, deciding to stay for the night. Vanessa looked from Jesse to Loki.

"Good," she smiled. She clapped her hands together and looked to Jesse. "Well, I suggest we get the heck out of here and give Logan some space. I'm sure he's tired and is courteously putting up with us," she nodded, looking briefly to Loki. He raised a brow at her. Jesse nodded and took a few steps toward Vanessa. "So, Logan, you sleep well, and if you need anything, just let these knuckleheads know. They'll take care of ya," she smiled, briefly patting Jesse's shoulder. Jesse slightly rolled his eyes, but nodded in agreement.

Loki's eyes flitted to the ground and then back up to Vanessa and Jesse.

"Thank you. For all of this," he stated. He still wasn't sure how he felt about everything, but he was lucky for coming across these people. He didn't quite understand their kindness toward him, but going along with it felt like the best thing to do for now.

"Don't worry about it. We're glad to help," Vanessa smiled genuinely. She looked to Jesse and lightly smacked his shoulder. "Now come on, let's get outta here," she stated suddenly, then disappearing down the hallway. Jesse nodded and took a few steps toward the doorway. He stopped briefly before exiting and looked to Loki.

"See you tomorrow," he smiled, nodding slightly. Loki nodded in response as Jesse too disappeared around the corner and also down the hallway.


	9. Ch. 9

The sun shone into Loki's bedroom brightly, filtering in through his closed eyelids and forcing him awake. Briefly he laid there, trying to remember what had happened and where he was. He kept his eyes closed, enjoying the warmth of the bed surrounding him and took a deep breath in. He suddenly crinkled his brow, distracted from his serenity when he heard what sounded like the clanking of dishes going into a sink. He scrunched his eyes as reality began to set in. Oh yeah, he had been booted from Asgard and was now the guest in a house where four other men resided, who appeared to be directed by a woman named Vanessa. He opened his eyes. He looked to his right and out to the morning sky, which was clear and blue. He was tempted to lay there for longer and fall back asleep, but decided against it when he heard more noises of people awake downstairs.

He pushed the sheets back on the bed and swung his legs over, pausing to stretch his body. He ran a hand through his hair as he looked around his room. He almost felt disoriented. Everything had changed so quickly over the last day. He was constantly recalibrating himself. After pausing for a few moments longer, and attempting to get his bearings, he finally got up and went into his bathroom.

He took a look at himself in the mirror. He leaned in and looked at what appeared to be a bruise on his cheek, but upon rubbing it, it disappeared, only revealing itself as dirt. It was probably from when he'd landed so hard on the ground the night before. Looking at the rest of himself, he determined he could certainly use a bath. He looked around the bathroom, trying to figure it out. Asgard wasn't much different in this department, but he did notice some peculiarities. He pulled back an opaque glass door, to find a shower head, determining that was where he was to wash himself. But what to use?

He saw some bottles resting on the shelving in the shower and grabbed one of them. He tried to read what it said, but given he couldn't read English, he couldn't make it out. Was it for hair? For the body? He popped the lid open and smelled it, a clean fresh scent wafting out. He wasn't sure what it was for, but he determined the smell was nice enough. He then spotted what looked like a bar of something also resting on a ledge of the shower. Putting down the bottle he grabbed the bar, which had a waxy feel to the touch. It also had a fresh clean scent associated with it. Upon looking at it, he determined it must be used to rub on the skin. Putting it in hair wouldn't make sense. It was times like these that he missed Asgard. He knew how to do everything there. Even though washing in a bathroom was a simple task, it was certainly more of a challenge when you weren't quite sure what you were using. After determining what he thought was for the hair and the body, playing around with the faucet and getting the water to the right temperature, he had the shower running and waiting for him to use. Stepping into the shower, he slid the door shut and let the warm water renew him.

Feeling clean and refreshed Loki wrapped the towel around his waist after drying the rest of himself off. Throwing another towel around his shoulders he walked back into his room and looked through the clothing Jesse had left for him the night before. Even though the clothing wasn't exactly the fashion back on Asgard, Loki figured it would do for now. Donning a pair of jeans and dark gray t-shirt Jesse had left for him, Loki looked in the mirror of his dresser again, and combed his fingers once more through his damp hair. He sighed looking at his appearance, and decided to make his way downstairs. Another new adventure to begin again.

Upon the last step of the staircase Loki saw Gabe and Stephen eating breakfast at the table in the kitchen while Jesse leaned against the counter leisurely drinking some coffee, perusing the pages of a newspaper. Hearing Loki's steps Jesse looked up and smiled.

"Morning Logan. Sleep well?" he asked kindly, placing his paper on the counter next to him.

Loki nodded. "Yes, thank you," he replied, slowly walking into the kitchen.

Jesse motioned to the kitchen table.

"Please, sit down,” Jesse gestured. “Can I get you something for breakfast?" he asked, as Loki pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Um," he started, not sure how to respond. He knew what he would eat on Asgard, but did they have the same food here on Earth? He looked to Jesse with a weak smile. "What have you got?" he asked.

"Well, we've got cereal, waffles, and I can throw some eggs and bacon together if you want," Jesse listed.

"Jeeze Jesse, I wish you'd wait on me like this too. You got a crush on this guy?" Adam stated, lazily walking into the kitchen, his hair still disheveled from sleep.

"Morning Adam," Jesse merely replied. Adam grunted in Jesse's general direction and then looked to Loki, nodding in acknowledgement.

"'Sup?" he shortly asked, and kept walking to the coffee pot.

Loki just nodded, noticing Adam was clearly not a morning person.

"Um, I'll have whatever you recommend," Loki replied, returning to Jesse's query about breakfast. Honestly, the only thing he understood out of what Jesse listed was eggs, so he decided to let Jesse surprise him.

"Ok. Eggs and bacon it is then," Jesse stated happily, opening the fridge and grabbing what he needed. As Loki sat at the table, Adam wandered over carrying two cups of coffee, joining him, Gabe, and Stephen. He pushed one in Loki's direction.

"Here, you look like you could use a cup," he lazily grunted and sat down.

Gabe rolled his eyes.

"Ignore him. He's just pissed he's not getting breakfast made for him," Gabe stated, giving Adam a disapproving look. Loki looked down at the dark steaming liquid in front of him, and wasn't quite sure what to make of it. He grabbed the mug and brought it to his nose, inhaling a rich roasted scent. Deciding he had probably drunk worse in his life, he took a small sip. At first the taste was a bit on the chalky side, but as it went down, it actually was more pleasant – although he wasn't completely satisfied. Gabe noticed Loki's reaction to the drink.

"Yeah, I don't like coffee black either. Here," he said, sliding some cream and sugar Loki's way. Loki was happy he recognized those two items, and took a spoonful of sugar putting it in his coffee.

"Do we still have to analyze those samples today?" Gabe asked, stated to all the men in the room.

"Yeah, and the Rhyolite samples too. Unless her highness tells us otherwise," Adam conferred.

"Man, I hate using that electron microscope. It's so old. You'd think with the research we're doing they could afford to update that stuff for us," Gabe complained. Loki merely listened, unsure of what they were talking about. To him they sounded like researchers of some kind.

"That's government funding for you," Stephen piped in.

"Yeah well, if they can fund Area 51 to keep aliens a secret, then they can afford to give us new equipment," Gabe countered.

"Well, the joke's on them because we know aliens are real, so whatever their secret, my bet is it probably has to do with Tony Stark," Vanessa stated smartly, as the door from the deck shut behind her. The guys at the table looked over to her. She looked over to Loki. "Well good morning Mary sunshine! Sleep well?" she asked brightly.

"Very well. Thanks," Loki replied, a small smile on his face. "You?"

Vanessa went over to Jesse to look in on what he was fixing.

"Well, if you consider having dreams filled with hot men a good night’s sleep, then yes, I slept very well," Vanessa answered, smiling deviously.

Adam raised his eyebrows. "Aww, you were dreaming of me? I'm flattered," he replied.

Vanessa stole a piece of bacon Jesse had frying in the pan. She looked with a furrowed brow at Adam.

"You don't look like Heath Ledger," she stated bluntly. Jesse laughed as both Gabe and Stephen let out exclamations of surprise at Vanessa’s comeback. Loki was a little lost in the mix, but couldn’t help and smile along with them.

"Order up," Jesse stated, bringing a plate over to Loki filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. Loki took the plate from Jesse.

"Thank you," he replied graciously.

Adam looked to Jesse incredulously.

"Where's mine?" he asked, his arms outstretched.

Jesse was wiping his hands on a dish towel.

"Do not ask and you shall not receive," he smiled. Adam adopted a goofy expression on his face.

"Ha ha, ok Mr. Chieftain," he mocked. Jesse merely cocked an eyebrow and nodded, knowing he was right.

"Adam, I know you are fully capable of making your own breakfast. Plus, Logan is a guest. He deserves special treatment," she smiled, looking over at Loki.

"Special treatment? I'll show you special treatment. Just wait until my coffee kicks in," Adam countered, taking another swig from his mug.

"Did you go out for a walk?" Loki suddenly asked, after a few bites of his breakfast. Vanessa looked at him.

"Hm?" she asked, confused. Loki looked to the other men and then back to her.

"Well, I noticed you came in from outside," Loki asked, clarifying and pointing behind him at the door.

"Oh," Vanessa replied, realization dawning on her.

"Vanessa doesn't live here with us," Jesse supplied, answering Loki's question. Vanessa nodded, pointing to Jesse as he had stolen the words out of her mouth.

"Yeah, her royal highness lives in the cabin next door," Adam added.

"Oh," Loki replied, his question answered.

"Yep, that whole cabin. All to herself," Adam muttered. He looked behind him to her. "You know you're lonely over there. How about you let me come over and keep you company. I'd do a good job," he stated, grinning widely.

Vanessa merely looked at him, adopting a smug grin on her face.

"Well, you know, I would, except for the fact that Gabe has already filled that position," she replied. "Many times," she finished, crossing her arms.

Including Loki, all the men looked at Gabe, who threw his hands up in the air.

"Hey, don't look at me! It's not true," he exclaimed, surprise donning his face.

"Dude," Adam commented, raising his eyebrows. Gabe continued to maintain his surprised expression.

Vanessa walked over to Gabe, patting him on the shoulder.

"And he's getting quite a substantial raise as a result of his laborious efforts," Vanessa winked. Gabe sighed. "But since we have a whole day until Gabe can work the extra shift, we still have work to do, so everyone get their butts in gear," she said, slapping Gabe's shoulder. "We gotta get to the lab."

"Yeah, yeah," Adam replied, and stared jealously over at Gabe. "You lucky bastard," he muttered, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Hey, what about Logan?" Stephen piped in, adjusting the glasses on his face.

Loki looked to Vanessa and then to the rest of the guys at the table.

"Hmm," Vanessa stated, rubbing the bottom of her chin.

"Uh-oh," Gabe noted, clearly recognizing Vanessa’s thinking face.

"Perhaps Logan has his own plans," Jesse suggested calmly, acting as the voice of reason in the room.

"True. I'm actually surprised you didn't bolt during the night," Vanessa said, looking directly at Loki.

"Sorry?" Loki asked, not following her.

"Well, you seemed so resistive to our help last night," she clarified. Loki merely sighed, not sure how to respond to that.

"Logan, don't listen to her. You're a guest, and can do whatever you'd like. You're more than welcome to relax here if you need to," Jesse supplied, gesturing to the house.

"Of course, we _are_ supplying him with a place to stay,” Vanessa chimed in, her hand finding its way under her chin. “Logically he’d need to earn his keep. And, we could use an extra hand at the lab," Vanessa noted, thinking out loud.

"Oh come on Vanessa. We're fine at the lab. Leave the guy alone," Adam countered, annoyance surfacing on his face.

"Trying to get rid of the competition?" Vanessa proclaimed staring at him. Adam looked to Loki and then back to Vanessa.

"What, and lose to the Bono look-a-like? Yeah right," Adam responded.

Vanessa looked to Loki again.

"So what do you say Logan? You gonna hang with us or hit the road?" she asked, waiting for his answer. Loki looked to Vanessa and the rest of the other guys. Jesse merely leaned against the back counter against the sink, staring patiently at Loki.

What _was_ his plan? Sure, he could strike out on his own and hope he didn't run into S.H.E.I.L.D. or the Avengers. Upon his last visit to Earth, he knew exactly what his goal was - and that obviously didn't work out too well for him. But this time? He was certainly in a different situation. He was left here abandoned, powerless, and meant to be alone. Yet oddly enough, he found himself surrounded by quite a group of people. And despite only being with these people for a short time, they were strangely starting to grow on him. The group looked at him expectantly. He stared back to them and nodded.

"You're right. It'd be wrong for me to take advantage of your hospitality," he said, making eye contact with Vanessa. "I need to earn my keep," he replied, directing to her. Vanessa smiled.

"Well then, it's settled. Welcome aboard," she responded.

"Wait a minute. You mean to tell me we're just gonna hire him on? What about his family? Friends? You said he was lost in the woods, right? Aren't there people looking for him?" Gabe asked, an incredulous look on his face.

Vanessa looked to Gabe and then to Loki. But before she could think of a smart remark, Loki beat her to the punch.

"Oh you don't have to worry about that. My family is well aware of where I am, and I can assure you, I am not being missed," Loki replied with an assured smile on his face, looking to Gabe. Gabe furrowed his brow, unsure of what Loki meant. "Plus, I could use something to do. Perhaps, to uh, keep my mind busy," Loki suggested.

"See? I love a ready and willing worker. He's showing promise already," Vanessa smiled. "Now come on guys. We’ve got work to do," she directed as she started walking to the door. As she put her hand on the handle she stopped and turned toward the men. "Oh, and Adam, do be mindful of the time it takes you to get ready. You know how much I hate being late," she added, opening the door. Adam narrowed his eyes at her. "Be ready in 20 gentlemen," she stated finally, walking out the door and back toward her cabin.

In the 20 minutes Vanessa expected the men to be ready, they all finally loaded into their cars and trucks. With Loki in tow riding along with Jesse and Adam, they made their way back down to the park and lab. Loki was able to get a better look at the terrain in the daylight as it passed him by in Jesse's white truck. The mountains the cabins were located in were normal enough, but Loki couldn't help notice how odd the terrain truly was once they entered what these people called a "park." He wasn't quite sure of the significance of this place, but he guessed "park" was similar to the preserves they had on Asgard. Once again he noticed the same plumes of what looked to be smoke rising from the ground far off in the distance. Transfixed by their significance he found himself pulled away from them by Adam's voice.

"So, you British or something?" he asked, breaking Loki from his gaze out the window. He looked to Adam sitting in the back behind the driver's seat. Loki crinkled his brow.

"Sorry?" he asked, unsure of Adam's question.

"Your accent," he started, gesturing to Loki. Oh, yeah.

"Um," Loki began, raising a brow. He let his eyes dart away from Adam and then back. "Sure," he answered, slightly nodding. He wasn't quite sure what "British" meant, but he figured he'd just go with it.

"I knew it. You owe me 10 bucks Jesse," Adam smiled, smacking the back of Jesse's seat. Jesse rolled his eyes and shook his head. Loki looked to Adam, his eyes then darting to Jesse. Adam looked smugly to Loki. "He thought you were Australian," he clarified, pointing toward Jesse with his thumb.

"I did not," Jesse replied, a small smile on his lips, keeping his eyes on the road.

"You still owe me 10 bucks," he reiterated. Loki heard Jesse sigh, exercising his best patience. "Australian. The guy doesn't even sound close to Australian," Adam muttered more to himself than to anyone else, shaking his head. Loki turned back around to face the front, continuing to watch the passing scenery. But given Adam's question, it was an indication of their curiosity of him. As far as he could tell, his cover wasn't blown yet, but it didn't mean he should let his guard down. Pondering other questions these people might ask of him, Jesse turned the wheel and slowed the truck down. Finding a parking spot at the Visitor Center, Jesse shut the ignition off and opened his door, cueing Adam and Loki to do the same. Stepping out of the truck, Loki looked around and noticed the vast expanse of the land. The sun shone brightly down upon the team as he saw Gabe, Stephen, and Vanessa exit from their trucks as well. Loki squinted, surveying the environment around him, his eyes following the graceful rise and fall of mountain peaks in the far distance. Scanning the environment, his eyes fell upon a large crowd gathered in a clearing, forming a wide circle. They looked to be watching something, but Loki couldn't see what it was that had caught their attention.

"Should only be a few minutes now," Vanessa said, walking up behind Loki, glancing at her watch. Loki looked over to Vanessa and then back to the crowd. Within the minute Loki heard a low rumbling. At first he didn't know what to expect, and looked to Vanessa to see if she showed any sign of alarm, but she only watched calmly on. Merely a second later, Loki was startled and jerked his head back to the crowd as a giant fountain of water shot out of the ground, plumes of steam and water rising high into the air. The crowd cheered at the geyser, and even Loki had to admit he was mildly impressed. Earth appeared to hold more surprises than he had expected. He strangely felt happy to encounter something familiar. He had encountered geysers back on Asgard, and other places he had traveled in his lifetime.

"So were they nice to you on the drive down?" Vanessa asked, as Loki continued to admire the tower of water. He was about to reply when Adam cut him off.

"Of course we were. And you know what we found out? Jesse's an idiot," Adam stated, smiling widely, as though he had come to some great revelation. Jesse once again rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

"Oh? Well, you know what they say," Vanessa started. "Takes one to know one," Vanessa fired back, winking to Jesse. Loki couldn't help but allow a small smile grace his lips. Jesse also featured a smile to match Loki's and leaned back on his heels. "Come on guys, shows over. Let's get inside," Vanessa directed, turning around and walking toward the glass doors of the Visitor Center. Loki and the rest of the team followed her lead, entering the structure.

Loki found himself looking around upon his entrance, seeing various displays stationed throughout the building. Despite the fact that the rest of the team was making their way to the back, he slowed down, his eyes falling upon a diagram of the Old Faithful geyser, explaining its mechanics. He couldn't read the captions of the diagram, but the pictures were easy enough to follow, illustrating the steps involved that made the geyser act the way it did. Determining this place appeared to be some sort of education center, he continued to look at the diagram, until a voice interrupted his curiosity.

"Neat, isn't it?" Vanessa asked. Loki broke his gaze and looked down to Vanessa.

"It's fascinating, yes," he admitted. He hadn't really cared about the mechanics involved in geysers before. As far as he was concerned, they were natural features common all over the universe. When he really thought about it, it never occurred to him to ponder the workings of such natural features – unless they happened to be significant for some reason. But he could appreciate the obvious curiosity exhibited by the displays around the center, answering questions about the region. Of course, he had seen many more impressive and dramatic displays of natural forces in his travels across the universe. There were things he had seen that humans could only dream of and barely comprehend. As his memory searched through his numerous and vast experiences, he caught the movement of Vanessa nodding her head in the direction of the door at the back of the center.

"If you think this is cool, wait until you see the toys we've got," she smiled raising her eyebrows, motioning for Loki to follow her in the direction the rest of the team had gone. Following behind her, he took one last look around the center, before they entered the door at the back and continued on down the hallway. Making her way to the end of the hallway, she opened the door to the room beyond.

"Welcome to our playground," she said, gesturing to the expansive room. Making his way past the workstations with their consoles, he looked up to the dark ceiling, the large windows lining the room allowing the bright sun in. The room had a technologic feel to it that Loki found oddly aesthetic. It was clean, with what looked like models, books, and diagrams strewn throughout. It was a place of exploration and science, and Loki couldn't help but find himself appreciating it. He was a curious man himself.

Vanessa briefly popped over to her workstation and began to boot up her computer. Loki hung behind in the expanse of the room, getting his bearings. Unsure of what he should be doing, he decided to walk over to Jesse, who he found booting up another computer, stacking a tower of microscope slides on the table beside him.

"What's that?" he asked, gesturing to the large microscope Jesse was preparing to use. Jesse smiled and looked from Loki to the microscope.

"That is a scanning electron microscope," he answered, setting the stack of samples on the table of his workspace. Loki raised a brow, indicating some curiosity. "It's a device that allows us to look at rock samples with great precision. It shoots down a concentrated beam of electrons, which then feed into this computer, giving us a detailed image we can use to study the rock samples we get from out in the field," Jesse explained further. Loki nodded, folding his arms over his chest.

"Why would you want to study them?" he asked. He hoped it wasn't a question that would blow his cover, but he was genuinely curious. On Asgard, which in his opinion was far more advanced of a society than Earth, they had their own methods of attaining knowledge. Through exploration, battle, and their own forms of study, they had libraries filled with knowledge of the universe. In that respect, Earth was so young of a civilization. But given he was currently at their mercy, he decided to keep his thoughts to himself.

"Well," Jesse started, his smile steadfast on his face. He loved to teach when he got the chance. "It helps us get a history of the rocks. It tells us how old they are, and where and how they formed. If we can identify the minerals we're studying, that tells us the conditions under which they formed, since each mineral is unique and requires different environmental conditions to form. Once we put all of that information together, it tells us a story of the region under study, so we can understand what happened," Jesse explained, gesturing to the slides with the rock samples in them. Loki nodded, finding Jesse's explanation viable. But he couldn't understand why anyone would want to study rocks. They seemed so – boring. Who really cared about how an environment had changed? Once again, it was a concept Loki hadn't put much thought into over his life. He had seen and encountered some odd things over his long lifetime, but as far as nature was concerned, it moved at a snails pace. Not much ever changed, and even if it did, why did it matter? Rocks were rocks. Trees were trees. Water was water. Unless something supernatural intervened, why was it worth concerning oneself with? Yet again, another indication of humanity's lack of progress - which again Loki determined to keep to himself.

"Jesse boring you with all of this science talk Logan?" he heard Vanessa ask, appearing behind them and landing a hand on Loki's shoulder. Loki looked down to her and slightly shook his head.

"Not really. He was actually just indulging some of my questions," Loki responded. Vanessa looked between the two of them.

"Good. Get used to it. There's gonna be a lot of that around here," Vanessa said, a smug smile on her face and patting Loki's shoulder once more. "Jeeze you're tall," she observed, crinkling her brow and looking up at him. Loki crinkled his brow in a similar manner.

"Um,” he began to respond, unsure of exactly how to. “Thank you?" he replied, looking briefly to Jesse, who smiled at his boss.

"So, let's say we put you to work," Vanessa suddenly stated, looking back up to Loki. Just as Vanessa appeared to suggest some sort of task she had in store for Loki, Jesse gently intervened.

"I was just showing Logan the electron microscope, and I could use some help in sorting out the samples for the slides. I could show him what to do if you like," Jesse offered. Vanessa looked back up to Loki, a meaningful expression on her face, her hand on her hip.

"Sound good to you?" she asked. Loki looked to the side and then back to her.

"Have I a choice?" he asked, curious of her answer. She definitely had a way of commanding her crew, which to Loki was very obvious. But testing her could be fun too. Vanessa raised her brow, and looked him up and down, as if she were a predator and he the prey.

"Well, there's always that gunk under the - ," she started, but was cut off by Jesse.

"I think Logan wants to work with me today. Having an extra hand would make a big difference," Jesse interjected, looking to Vanessa and then to Loki. Vanessa's eyes darted between them, half lidded in skepticism. She lightly nodded.

"Very well," she responded, purposely lingering. "Get to it," she stated, directing to Loki. Loki raised a brow. He wasn't easily intimidated, but he couldn't help feel the subtle pressure of Vanessa's power over her team – and himself. Despite the fact that he typically resented being bossed around, having had a long history where he was at the mercy of others, today he decided to keep his mouth shut and listen to the orders given. It wasn't like disobeying orders had been doing him any good lately anyway. Vanessa gave them both one last look. "I expect the samples fully sorted by the end of the day," she stated, lingering a moment, and then turning dramatically to make her way back across the room, to her workstation.

Jesse looked in the direction Vanessa had gone, his eyebrows raised. He let out the breath he had been holding.

"Trust me, you want to work with me today," he said, looking to Loki. "Otherwise she'd have you cleaning toilets," Jesse commented, grabbing a collection of rock samples which had been ground up for analysis. "Come on, I'll show you what you need to do," Jesse continued, motioning for Loki to stand next to him and begin his instruction.

"Her bark is worse than her bite! And man does she bite! There was this one time-," Adam yelled down from Jesse and Loki, evidently having heard what had just transpired between them.

"Shut up Adam," they all heard Vanessa yell unenthusiastically from her workstation. Jesse's face scrunched up and a laugh escaped him, as he shook his head. Loki couldn't help laugh along with him, as he awaited Jesse's instruction and their work to begin.

"Welcome to our team," Jesse supplied, grabbing some samples and beginning their work.


	10. Ch. 10

Vanessa was active throughout the lab, checking in on her teammates, helping them with their measurements, and other procedures in the analysis of their samples. Making another round throughout the lab, she took the stairs to the floor above and found Gabe working on the holographic computer. They had all started to lovingly refer to the machine as Zordon, in tribute to the super computer of the original Power Rangers show. For some reason they felt it fit just right. And it was funny as hell.

Vanessa walked over to Gabe who appeared fairly focused on his task working with the computer and entering his latest data.

"Zordy playing nice today?" she asked, placing some of her paperwork next to him.

"So far," Gabe answered, looking to his papers, transferring the numbers into the computer. "No new crises for the rangers yet," he commented further.

"Yeah, well, as long as we can keep those pesky putty monsters from showing up, I'll be happy," Vanessa retorted looking down at the paperwork with him. Her eyes drifted up to the holographic display, which at the moment had a mundane screen saver, a line pattern dancing in 3D before them.

"That would be the plan," Gabe replied, focused on his work. Vanessa eyed him, noting a lack of enthusiasm in his voice. She got the feeling something was bothering him, given he was usually one of the happier members of her little crew. Crossing her arms she leaned casually against the console.

"Anything I can help you with?" she asked, starting off ambiguous.

Gabe remained focused on his work.

"No. I think I can handle things up here," he replied, inserting another number into the system. Vanessa looked to the display and then back to Gabe.

"That's not what I meant," she commented, cutting more to the chase. Gabe's brow furrowed, communicating his confusion of her last statement. Vanessa slightly readjusted herself against the console. "If I embarrassed you earlier with the 'extra shift' thing," she started, but Gabe suddenly looked up to her, a concerned expression on his face.

"Oh no. Don't apologize for that," Gabe replied hurriedly. He looked up to her for a moment more and then leaned back in his chair bringing his hands to rest on his stomach.

"So what's the problem?" Vanessa asked, attempting to gauge her colleague. Gabe ran a hand through his blonde locks, raising his eyebrows and exhaling.

"It's this Logan guy," he started, finally revealing what was troubling him. Vanessa eyes darted to the side and then back to Gabe.

"What about him?" she asked.

"Well," he started. He looked away from her and then back again. "What is he doing here?" he asked bluntly. It wasn't that he had anything against the guy, but both he, and his team knew nothing about him.

"He's helping us in the lab," Vanessa replied, as if it was an obvious answer. Gabe slightly rolled his eyes.

"I know that. I mean, _why_ is he here? He's not a geologist. How is he even qualified to do any of the kind of work we do? He could be a serial killer for all we know," he commented, his concerns flowing out of him.

"Or he could be worse," Vanessa added, raising a brow. Gabe looked up to her, unsure of her meaning.

"Worse than a serial killer?" he asked, pondering what could possibly be worse.

"Oh, there's always worse," Vanessa stated assuredly. "But," she paused. "Considering we're not dead yet, I think we're ok," she responded, her confidence ever present. Gabe allowed a somewhat defeated expression to overtake his face. Vanessa looked down at him, furrowing her brow.

"Look, he's just a guy down on his luck. And we're here to pick him back up. Giving him something to do is a good thing," Vanessa started to explain. "It works out for both us and him," she reasoned. She noted that Gabe's expression hadn't changed, and he looked up to her. A crease of worry appeared in his forehead. "Just trust me. Treat him like an intern. Teach him the ropes. He'll catch on soon enough," she reassured. She could have been a smartass about things, but she didn't want her team to think she was putting them in any kind of danger. Despite not knowing what the future might hold, she knew she'd handle it as it came. No point in worrying if there was nothing to worry about.

Gabe sighed. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, but he decided to trust his boss. She usually knew what she was doing. Usually.

Just about to respond to Vanessa, their thoughts were interrupted when they both heard footsteps and voices coming toward them from the stairs.

"Up here is our super computer, which allows us to view the park and everything going on in it," they heard a voice explain. As the footsteps ascended, they revealed themselves to be Jesse and Loki making their way upstairs.

"Hey guys," Jesse greeted brightly. He appeared to be enjoying his role as teacher quite a bit. Vanessa briefly smiled.

"Hi gentlemen," she responded. Jesse nodded and then looked back to Loki.

"We've named it Zordon, after the computer in the show Power Rangers. It has an official name, but it's long and complicated," Jesse explained, a smile on his face.

"Zordon," Loki repeated, trying to understand what Jesse was telling him.

"It's got a nice ring to it. Don't you think?" Vanessa asked, looking in Loki's direction. Loki's eyes darted to Vanessa and then back to Jesse.

"We kind of decided on it collectively," Jesse went on to explain. Loki stared at Jesse, unsure of how to respond. All he could understand was that they named their machinery. The rest might as well have been gibberish. What was a Power Ranger?

"And, speaking of which," Vanessa started, looking in Gabe's direction. She nodded her head slightly. "Have you got a picture of the park for me yet?" she asked. Gabe looked over to his trio of an audience. She maintained her eyes on Gabe. "Might as well show them what this baby can do."

Deciding to allow his previous conversation with Vanessa to dissipate, he exhaled, running his hand over his blonde goatee, shifting his focus on the keyboard and touch screen on the console in front of him. He leaned slightly over the display in order to set the simulation in motion.

"There's not much based off of the data we have so far. But," he paused, clicking a few keys on the keyboard and reaching forward to glide his fingers over the touch screen. Suddenly the room lights went dark, and the display shifted from its screen saver to a light blue display of Yellowstone Park. It was an impressive display, spanning throughout the center of the room. Various numbers and readings filled in on the sides of the display, describing the latitude and longitude of various locations, elevations, and even weather conditions. Some acted as labels, dictating named areas of the park. Vanessa, Jesse and Loki watched with interest as Gabe altered the display, and the surface of Yellowstone began to rise up, revealing the geology underneath the park.

The blue light reflected off of Loki's eyes as he watched with interest what this moving picture was showing him. It continued to rise, the blue light shifting to red, changing the dynamic of the entire room. To Loki it looked like a big red elongated blob underneath the landscape. He crinkled his brow. He wasn't sure what it represented, but whatever it was, its relation to the size of the park was impressive. Whatever he was looking at, it was massive, its elongated structure reaching hundreds of feet down into the earth below. Loki crossed his arms, and stared intently at the display in front of him.

"There's the big kahuna," Vanessa smiled, watching the image take shape in front of them.

"Thanks to some of the data provided by Dr. Lowens and his researchers, we have a fairly good picture of what's happening. But we'll still need more to get the most accurate picture," Gabe supplied, hitting a few more keys on the console in front of him.

"At the risk of sounding naïve," Loki interjected, his eyes darting from the display to Vanessa. "What is it?" he asked. Vanessa looked over to Loki.

"That," Vanessa started, her eyes shifting back to the hologram slowly rotating in front of them. "Is the beating heart underneath Yellowstone National Park," she began to explain. Loki furrowed his brow, still unsure of her meaning. He looked back to her, waiting for her to continue. "This thing is the reason Yellowstone National Park exists,” Vanessa started, her eyes briefly looking over to Loki. “Most people don't realize what is residing just below the surface," she paused, taking a few steps away from Gabe and making her way next to Loki. "People come here to enjoy the beauty and fascination that is Yellowstone. They come for the geysers, the hot springs, mud pots, wildlife, and the camping. But few think about what is responsible for the landscape and scenery," she stopped again. She gestured to the display. "The thing you are staring at is the massive magma chamber which has lived under Yellowstone for 2.1 million years," she explained, her eyes temporarily trained onto Loki. "The chamber itself has actively existed on Earth for over 18 million years," Vanessa finally stated, getting to the point. Loki looked to her once more and then back to the display.

"When you say magma, you mean lava?" he asked. He wasn't sure of the term "magma," but he had a feeling he knew what it referred to.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. Magma is molten rock which has not yet reached the surface. Lava is molten rock which has," Vanessa clarified. The wheels were turning in Loki's mind, trying to grasp what Vanessa was explaining to him. She felt like she could almost see the journey his mind was taking.

"So, what does it mean?" he asked, trying to piece everything together.

"It means that this entire area is one big massive volcano," Vanessa explained bluntly. Loki's eyes flitted to Vanessa. He didn't want to sound like an idiot, but an obvious question came to his mind.

"I saw mountains when we arrived here, but I failed to see a volcano," he stated, thinking perhaps Vanessa and her scientists had their science wrong. He had seen plenty of odd phenomena in his long lifetime, but could Earth hold just as strange phenomena? He didn't get the feeling Vanessa and her team were an unintelligent bunch, but he wasn't quite sure they were right about this one. A smile appeared on Vanessa's face.

"Oh it's here," Vanessa responded confidently, folding her arms over her chest. She looked to Loki, who still remained slightly confused. She leaned in Loki’s direction. "You're standing in it," she responded, a strangely mischievous glint in her eye. Her eyes then travelled to Gabe. "Show him what I mean Gabe," she instructed. Gabe slid his fingers across the touch screen once more, causing the display to rotate and show a bird's eye view of the park. As the display tilted toward the group, Loki noticed a rough ovular shaped outline starting in the middle and extending toward the southwestern portion of the map. It was a messy looking oval, its shape not completely uniform, but it took up a good two-thirds of the area. Loki was interested, but still unsure of what exactly he was seeing. He looked to Vanessa, awaiting her explanation.

"See that circle shape there?" she asked. Loki curtly nodded, keeping his eyes upon the display. "That," she continued. "Is the crater left behind by the last eruption of Yellowstone," she stated, looking over to Loki, a small smile on her face. He let his eyes meet hers and then drifted back to the display in front of them. He had an expression on his face that seemed to indicate he was expecting her to explain further. She slightly lifted her head and allowed a knowing expression to overtake it. Stepping away from Loki, she walked slowly back over to the display. "The last eruption occurred roughly 640,000 years ago. And it's not the first," Vanessa explained, nodding her head to Gabe, to cue him to change the display once again. The picture of the display changed once more and Loki's eyes were caught by the motion. Two more rough circular shapes smoothly formed on the display, extending further south and west, overlapping with the current circular shape. Instead of the blue color, which made up the surface of the park and recent outline, the others appeared in a soft yellow, distinguishing them from the recent one, the color cycling rhythmically around the outline of the shapes.

Vanessa looked to the display. "These other two craters, or calderas as we geologists refer to them," she paused, looking suggestively back to Loki who watched her intently. "Resulted from previous Yellowstone eruptions," she said, pointing to the display, encircling her hand around the shapes. "This larger one, occurred first, about 2.1 million years ago. And this little guy over here," she said, pointing to the one furthest to the left. "This one occurred 1.3 million years ago," she continued. She folded her arms and looked to the display, and then back to Loki. "There are a few smaller calderas which were smaller eruptions, but these are the major ones. The most recent caldera is huge. It's roughly 1,500 square miles, which is one of the largest volcano craters on earth. Yellowstone Park itself is only 3,400 square miles," Vanessa concluded, comparing the size of the caldera versus the size of the entire park.

"So," Loki started, piecing everything together. Vanessa looked over to him. Jesse and Gabe also found themselves curious of his response. "Obviously the volcano has erupted before," Loki started. His eyes met Vanessa's. "So when will it erupt again?" he asked. Vanessa looked to Jesse, who stood silently behind Loki. He had a calm expression on his face, slightly lifting his head in Vanessa's direction, curious of her response. Vanessa calmly looked to Loki.

"Hard to say," she answered. "We do know it will erupt again. But it's hard to know exactly when. The average is every 600,000 years," she said.

Loki furrowed his brow and raised his gaze slightly.

"But I thought you said it's been 640,000 years since the last one," he observed. Vanessa smiled. He was a quick study. "So," he started, looking to Vanessa and Gabe. "It's overdue," he said. A confident expression adorned Vanessa's face.

"Precisely," she responded. She looked down to Gabe, leaning toward him. "And you were worried he wouldn't catch on," she said, furrowing her brow at him sarcastically. Gabe looked up at Vanessa unimpressed.

"I assume the role of you and your researchers is to study this - caldera," Loki stated, getting used to a new word to add to his vocabulary. Vanessa was about to respond, but Jesse beat her to it.

"It's our job to study it, get samples, and understand it more thoroughly than any other team of scientists have done before," Jesse interjected. He looked to Vanessa, who furrowed her brow at his interruption, but relaxed, agreeing with his explanation.

"Yes. Our ever present duty to add to the knowledge of the scientific community and provide awareness to the public," Vanessa expanded, leaning forward. She recited it as if it were a slogan on a brochure. Gabe rolled his eyes behind her. She turned to him raising a brow, having caught his brief reaction to his boss. Gabe raised his eyebrows in response, surprised she had seen him, suddenly looking down at the screen and moving his fingers across it, as if he were trying to busy himself.

Loki found himself with his eyes narrowed at the glowing display, trying to study and understand it. Even though he had seen dramatic displays of nature throughout the universe, which far surpassed what he was facing here, he couldn't help but find himself fascinated nonetheless. He was beginning to see why these scientists found this place so interesting. As his eyes scanned over the current and past caldera rims, another question tugged at him. It was a deep seeded question with a heavy answer, but he felt he deserved to ask it. As the question was formulating on his lips, another voice interrupted his inquiry, causing him to lose focus.

"Here you guys are," came Adam's voice from the stairs. He walked up the last few steps, joining the rest of his crew on the upper level. He saw the group and gave them a questioning glance. "What? I wasn't good enough for your little party up here?" he asked.

Vanessa met his questioning glance with an unmoving one of her own.

"Apparently not," she replied, answering his question succinctly. He briefly narrowed his eyes at her and allowed a smirk to overtake his face. His eyes then went to Loki.

"Hey you. Slogan, or whatever your name is. Need you," he commanded. Loki met Adam's gaze and narrowed his eyes. He wasn't exactly a fan of the tone in this guy's voice. Loki might be a God down on his luck, but the last thing he needed was to be disrespected. And the fact that this guy was a human didn't help much either.

"Excuse me?" Loki asked, purposefully allowing a drop of displeasure seep into his voice.

"Yeah. You. Need your help. Downstairs," he repeated, even more sarcastically than before, as though Loki were slow and unable to understand him the first time. Loki felt his blood pressure rise. Who did this man think he was? Just about to icily respond to Adam, Vanessa cut Loki off.

"No you don't," she stated, matter-of-factly, crossing her arms calmly. Adam looked over to Vanessa.

"What? If he can help Jesse, he can help me. Isn't that what lackeys are for?" he asked cockily. 

"Well, it would be. But last time I checked, _you_ , were _my_ lackey," she smiled, a slightly evil glint in her eye. "Which means, if I say 'jump,' you better ask 'how high?'" she replied, cocking her hip to one side. She kept her eyes steadfast on Adam. " _Logan_ , stays with Jesse," she smiled, more than confident in her response.

Adam looked to Loki and then to Vanessa, narrowing his eyes and raising an eyebrow. He was about to protest her response, but taking notice on the look on her face, he decided to drop the subject.

"Fine," he said, looking to Loki again. "But next time lackeys are assigned, I call dibs," he responded. Vanessa allowed a small smile to curl itself on her face.

"My, my," she commented. "Logan, you are quite the hot commodity," she nodded, her eyebrow raised at Loki. "But you know, that happens, when you’re a lazy ass like Adam," she stated, shrugging. Loki smiled at her comment, but remained silent, looking over to Adam. Loki could swear he saw a small vein popping out of Adam's temple, as Vanessa clearly had gotten under his skin. After a few more moments and careful thought, Adam finally rolled his eyes and began to turn around.

"I'm going down stairs," he begrudgingly stated, his irritated steps making their way back down the stairs. Vanessa looked to the men in the room.

"And that children, is how to keep your staff in check," she said, leaning back and looking to Gabe. The two men and Loki found smiles on their faces. She looked to Loki. "If he gives you any more trouble, just let me know, and I'll be more than happy to take care of it," Vanessa instructed, a wide smile on her face. "Or you can deck him. Whatever works," she said, shrugging. Loki's smile widened. He liked this woman's style.

Jesse looked disapprovingly to Vanessa and shook his head. Vanessa looked to him. "Hey, what goes around comes around," she countered. Jesse kept his eyes on her, and then looked down clearing his throat, adjusting his stance. Shifting gears, Vanessa addressed the men in the room. "Alright gentlemen, only a few more hours of work and then we're out of here," she said, grabbing the papers she had set next to Gabe. She turned and started to walk toward the stairs. Allowing Vanessa to descend in front of them, Jesse lightly waved Loki toward him.

"Come on," he supplied gently. "I'll show you what to do next," he said, moving toward the stairs as well. Jesse looked to Gabe, still over at the console. "You gonna be ok up here by yourself Gabe?" he asked, offering any help.

"Oh yeah, I'll be fine," he smiled their way. "You guys go on. I don't have that much left to do anyway," he concluded.

"Sounds good. See you back downstairs then," Jesse smiled, then turning and following Vanessa down the stairwell. As Jesse started to leave, Loki picked up on the cue and turned to leave as well, nodding to Gabe and slightly waving upon his exit. But as he turned, he paused, his eye landing back on the glowing display. He couldn't help but find it intriguing, and for the life of him could not figure out why. He studied it briefly, recognizing that perhaps Earth held more mystery than he had originally given it credit for. He shook his head slightly. This planet and its civilization were an infant compared to Asgard and the other mysteries of the universe. And he wasn't about to allow himself to forget that. But upon his departure down the stairs he still found himself fascinated by the hologram and what it portrayed, its blue light reflecting off Loki's face.

"Hey Logan, you coming?" Jesse asked, popping his head up above the banister of the stairs.

"Right," he replied, taking one more glance to the hologram, and then slowly walked to the stairs, making his way down in Jesse's wake.

The remaining hours of work had gone quickly, thanks in part to Jesse keeping Loki busy and Vanessa keeping everyone else on task. After their drive home from the lab everyone was safely back in the men's cabin relaxing, another day of work under their belts. It was Stephen's turn to cook dinner, as everyone, including Vanessa, took turns cooking and hosting dinner each night. Adam offered to help Stephen in the kitchen, which provided a better distraction than tormenting Loki. Gabe and Loki found themselves relaxing in the living room, Gabe having turned on the television and both watching some late afternoon sitcoms. Loki made himself comfortable on one of the couches, watching the shows along with Gabe. He wasn't sure he understood all of the humor of what he saw, but he was able to catch on to some of it.

Vanessa relaxed outside, leaning upon the railing of the deck, observing the scenery below. She sipped her evening cocktail, and allowed the golden glow of the evening sun to warm her as it made its way toward the horizon, ending another day. The sky was already transforming, the bright azure blue melting into pinks, oranges, and reds in the sun's wake. She caught movement to her left and turned to see Jesse making his way toward her, joining her on the railing. He leaned against it, a pop can in his hand.

"Another beautiful evening," he observed, looking out to the vast expanse of the land below.

"Very much so," Vanessa agreed, taking a sip of her drink. "Thank you for taking Logan under your wing for the day," Vanessa thanked genuinely. She was grateful for all of her staff – even Adam. But Jesse was always the most helpful. He smiled.

"It was no problem. He makes a good student," he commented.

"Well, he's got a good teacher," Vanessa stated honestly. Jesse smiled, nodding in thanks. He looked back out to the horizon. "Think he'll stick around?" Vanessa asked, seeing if Loki had mentioned anything to Jesse.

"I don't see why not," Jesse started. "He hasn't mentioned anything to me otherwise," Jesse paused, admiring the falling sunlight. "But he hasn't indicated he's going anywhere," Jesse finally said.

"Good," Vanessa replied shortly, taking another sip of her cocktail. The wind blew lightly, Vanessa's brown hair catching the evening sun. A comfortable silence built itself between them, as they both admired the encroaching evening. The sun glistened even more brightly off Jesse's long red-blonde locks, mimicking the sun.

"Although," he said, looking briefly back toward the cabin, his eye catching Loki on the couch, watching the television intently. Vanessa looked to him. "I couldn't help but notice he looked awfully familiar," he observed. His eyes went back to the horizon and he took another sip from his drink. Vanessa lifted her head slightly. She smiled, narrowing her eyes in acknowledgement, his eyes meeting hers once again. There was no getting one over on Jesse.

"So you recognized him too," she said, her eyes going back out to the horizon. Jesse inhaled.

"A little hard not to," he replied, shifting his legs beneath him. A silence built between them once more. Vanessa kept her eyes on the horizon, contemplating Jesse's observation.

"Think I'm being an idiot?" she asked. Jesse looked over to her calmly. He looked down.

"No," he replied honestly, a smile on his face, slightly shaking his head.

"Most people wouldn't think that," Vanessa observed.

"No they wouldn't," Jesse agreed. "But most people wouldn't give a guy like that a second chance," Jesse countered calmly. Vanessa smiled. Jesse always knew the right things to say. "You're doing a good thing," he stated genuinely.

"It's what I keep trying to tell myself," Vanessa replied. She looked over to Jesse. "Some might not agree though," she observed. She looked back to Loki through the windows, who was still transfixed by the entertainment in front of him. Jesse nodded, acknowledging the seriousness in Vanessa's statement. "But," she said, looking back to Jesse. "You can't say I don't keep things interesting around here," she smiled confidently.

"No you can't," Jesse smiled. The two stared at one another, sharing an unsaid confidence. Jesse knew Loki was in good hands.

"Hey," they heard a voice break their moment. "Heckle and Jeckle. Dinner's ready," Adam commanded, having opened one of the deck doors. The smells of steak, potatoes and green beans wafting out, beckoning Vanessa and Jesse in.

"Coming mother," Vanessa replied, a wide smile on her face. Adam narrowed his eyes. But a confident smile planted itself on his face soon after.

"I only want what's best for my babies. Now get in there before I beat you both," Adam added. Vanessa looked to Jesse.

"That's not a contradiction," she stated sarcastically. Jesse smiled.

"And you better eat every vegetable on your plate," he continued his eyes wide, having heard Vanessa's comment.

"Yeah, yeah," Vanessa supplied, moving away from the railing and toward Adam in the open door. She looked to Jesse. "Just keeps getting more and more interesting around here," she said, smiling. Jesse looked up, following her in.

"That it does," he replied, holding the door for Vanessa, and continuing on in after her to join the others for dinner.


	11. Ch. 11

Only a week had passed from Loki's arrival on Earth and his involvement with his new found friends, but he was finding his adjustment to life on Earth a little more challenging than he had originally anticipated. He continued to be grateful for their hospitality, and truly felt as though he was earning it. But Vanessa did not lie about putting him to work. Jesse continued to train Loki and keep him busy, helping him with his responsibilities. Loki had also assisted Gabe a few times. But he was reluctant to work with Adam, who taunted him nearly every chance he got. It took more than all of Loki's self-control to keep from clocking the guy at times. Under normal circumstances Loki had no problem showing others who was boss - and he was definitely above these people. But in order to keep his true identity a secret, he endured Adam's onslaught. Luckily enough however, the rest of the team, including Vanessa were eager to come to bat for him. Apparently taking shots at Adam was a sport for them when he was at his most obnoxious, and Loki greatly appreciated it. He also found it immensely entertaining.

Not only did he have to contend with work at the lab, but he was finding work was also required around the cabin. With his cover still sound, he struggled to act like he knew what he was doing, or what his house mates were talking about for that matter. Loki was by no means an unintelligent person, but when it came to various references made by the team, quite frankly, he found himself confused most of the time. Luckily enough, he was a good actor, and could fake most of what he heard and go along with it. But he refused to touch a computer. Unfortunately, Asgard was more than lacking in the particular type of technology present on Earth, having developed and adopting their own. But considering his lack of experience with one, Loki felt it safer for his cover to steer clear of them.

Fortunately he wasn't required to handle much technology, and today found himself helping the team pack up their trucks, as they were headed out on an expedition. It was the first expedition Loki was to attend with them. In his time in Yellowstone, he had only been to the lab and back. Vanessa had taken him on a small tour surrounding the area of the lab around Old Faithful. But she explained that this was only a glimpse of what Yellowstone had to offer, and the longer he chose to stay with them, the better chance he'd have to see the park in detail. Considering his options, and that he couldn't think of what better thing he'd be doing – although seeking vengeance upon the Avengers had definitely crossed his mind - he decided to tag along with the team for now.

Grabbing another bag of camping equipment, Loki placed it in the back of Vanessa's truck. Not far behind, Vanessa placed a bag next to the one Loki had just set down.

"Almost done," Vanessa said, looking at her truck piled full of equipment and supplies. She looked to the rest of her team, also busy lugging bags of supplies into their vehicles. "How you guys doing?" she called to whoever could hear her.

"Doin' good boss," she heard Gabe reply, carrying a cooler full of food. Vanessa scrunched up her face.

"You got beer in there Gabe?" she asked, a disapproving look on her face. Gabe stopped on his way to his truck, looking to Vanessa, and then his cooler, a guilty expression overtaking his face.

"Um," he said, looking down at the cooler. "No?" he said, looking back to Vanessa. She furrowed her brow at him.

"Good," Vanessa replied. Her hand found her hip. "Now go on inside and get some," she directed, a devious smile on her face. Gabe raised his brow, and slowly started to continue in the direction of his truck to drop off the cooler. Loki looked over to her, a questioning look on his face. "I'm going to need something to numb my brain after spending days on end with these guys," she rationalized. Loki smiled. He looked back to the men making their trips to and from the cabins.

"I know the feeling," he commented. It wasn't that Loki didn't like staying with these guys, but living with them was a little more than taxing. They made good roommates for the most part, and most of them left Loki alone, as he was a guest. But they constantly tormented each other, stealing things from one another's rooms, or fighting over the living room television. Adam constantly accused everyone, including Loki, of stealing his porn – not that Loki was completely familiar with what porn was exactly. Jesse typically remained the most level headed of the group, settling most of the arguments, but even he would engage in some of their fun.

Loki actually found their antics entertaining, and even indulged them to a degree. But as far as relaxing was concerned, there wasn't much to be had in this household. Not only did Loki have to deal with the antics of the guys in the house, but he also had to deal with their habits and hobbies. It turned out they were musically talented, and were part of a band they deemed The Wise Guys. Their music was actually quite good – although Loki wasn't completely used to their sound. But he guessed he liked them well enough. They had a rock pop thing going on, and with Gabe as their lead singer, it added a rugged quality to the sound of their music. But despite how good they sounded, they seemed to like to set up their instruments in the expansive living room at night, and would practice until the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately, this meant Loki hardly got a good night's sleep when they decided to practice.

Despite Loki's lack of sleep, he hoped he'd get a respite from the loud music with this three day expedition to a location known as Roaring Mountain. As it had been explained to him, it was an area of the park which had a fair amount of thermal activity. Most of Yellowstone seemed to have many different types of activity all throughout the park, and as Vanessa explained it, more and more features were being discovered all the time. This expedition was to provide the scientists with measurements of the ground temperatures, their fluctuations throughout the day, and the kinds of gases emitted from the ground. When Loki had asked why the mountain was called Roaring Mountain, Vanessa explained it was because of the sound the fumes emitted from the ground upon their exit, which to most people sounded like a roaring animal. Oh yeah, Loki was definitely going to have some great night’s sleep ahead of him.

Leaning against Vanessa's truck, Loki awaited the next instruction she would dish out. Surveying her team as they made a few more trips in and out of the cabins, Vanessa decided to wait a few more moments before she started bugging them to wrap things up. As the two of them waited, Loki caught movement in his periphery, Vanessa leaning into the trunk, apparently on the hunt for something. Loki turned slightly, his brow furrowed, curious as to what she was doing.

"Ah, here it is," he heard her say. Still leaning over, she looked toward him over her shoulder. "I have a present for you," she said, a slightly devious expression on her face. Loki raised his brow, unsure of what that statement would reveal. She straightened herself and handed Loki a dark green cloth object with a hardened bill on it. It had some white writing on it that Loki still could not understand. English continued to remain a foreign language to him as far as reading was concerned – and it was one of the things becoming harder and harder to fake as time went on.

"Now you will look truly official," Vanessa commented, nodding to the object in Loki's hands. Loki looked down at it, a confused expression on his face.

"Um," he started, unsure of how to tell her he didn't know what it was she had just given him. He could have sworn it looked like some sort of hat, but he couldn't be certain.

"I've got a bunch of different colors back at the office. They hand them out like candy, but I think it's safe to say that green truly is your color," Vanessa continued. "I'm partial to black myself," she stated, looking to Loki's hat. "I'd wear one, but it messes up my do," Vanessa smiled, referring to her long brown hair. Loki nodded slowly, looking to the side, trying his best to appear grateful.

"Your too kind," he said, his suspicions confirmed as to what Vanessa had given him. Sure, they had hats on Asgard, but none that looked quite like this. He nodded to her once again, and slipped it on. It wasn't his typical golden helmet and horns, but he did have to admit it was quite comfortable. He adjusted it slightly, one hand on the bill and the other on the back to get a better fit. His eyes slid to her, curious of her thoughts on his newest fashion accessory. Vanessa's hand found its way back to her hip.

"I like it," she winked. "Now you look like an official USGS scientist," she smiled. "But if I catch you playing with any equipment you’re not supposed to you’re fired,” she threatened. After all, he was still a lackey.

"Aww, man. You gave him the same color as me? Now I have to change mine to a new one," Vanessa heard Adam exclaim, coming down the deck stairs to the driveway, one last box of supplies in his hands.

"What can I say? It brings out his eyes," Vanessa replied, looking dramatically to Loki. Adam stopped, his eyes darting to Loki and then to Vanessa.

"His eyes are blue," Adam observed, one eyebrow raised. Vanessa's eyes slid calmly over to Adam.

"And I know how many hours you spend looking longingly into them," she said, a sly smile on her face. "Not that there's anything wrong with that. Heck, I would too, if it weren't so easy to get lost in them," Vanessa smiled, reasoning as logically as she could.

Adam stared at Vanessa, an un-amused expression on his face.

"Yes, I am clearly so gay for Logan," Adam stated more than sarcastically. Loki raised his brows, unsure of how to react to Adam and Vanessa's little banter. He decided to keep his mouth shut and watch the plane crash.

"You should be," Vanessa commented, a serious expression on her face. She nodded to Adam, her eyes darting to Loki. "He's a very pretty man," Vanessa replied, a smug smile on her face. She threw a wink to Loki, who in turn, looked to the ground, a smug smile finding its way onto his own face. He wasn't sure if he should take it as a compliment, but decided the entertainment was enjoyable enough. Adam furrowed his brow and rolled his eyes. He sighed.

"Admit it man, you walked right into that one," the trio heard Gabe comment, evidently catching the end of their conversation. Vanessa looked around once more, noticing that her team appeared mostly ready to go.

"Alright gentlemen," she announced, clapping her hands once. "Have we got everything? Has everybody gone to the bathroom before we leave?" Vanessa asked, looking around to her boys. They all looked to one another and nodded, indicating they were ready to get on the move. "Alrighty then. Time to get this show on the road," Vanessa finalized, turning around and making her way to her driver's side door. As the rest of the gentlemen walked to their own vehicles, Loki followed suit and opened the passenger door of Vanessa's truck. Strapping his seatbelt Loki looked to Vanessa, who turned the key in the ignition, and after shifting gears, pressed the accelerator and began to roll down the driveway, her team in hot pursuit.

It took the team about 45 minutes to reach the plumes of steam emanating from the Norris Geyser Basin. The sun peaked through the clouds, as they drove past the many hydrothermal features present in this area of the park. Norris Geyser Basin offered the highest concentration of geothermal activity within Yellowstone, from prismatic hot springs, to geysers, and boiling mud pots. It was an excellent area for tourists to see Yellowstone at its best, especially concerning the geology. Loki watched the scenery pass him by, recognizing the presence of these features certainly explained some of the plumes of what he had thought were smoke when he'd first arrived in Yellowstone. It was both eerie and mesmerizing, catching the sight of one of the hot springs, its rich blue color made even more striking by the golden ring of color surrounding its edges.

"It looks pretty, but you wouldn't want go swimming in it," Vanessa commented, noticing Loki eyeing the terrain as they drove past. He looked over to her. "Not unless dying hot and painful deaths are your thing," she continued, her eyes drifting briefly over to him. "Most of the hot springs in these areas are upwards of 400 degrees," she said, turning the wheel with the curve of the road, driving to the camp site the team was headed. The car darkened as they exited the open expanses of the hot springs and entered a wooded area. The large pines offered a more rustic feel to the location, which for some reason Loki found comforting.

Driving a few more miles into the woods, Vanessa turned the wheel to the right and pulled into a spot of open grass with a river close by. Loki guessed this must be where they were to set up camp, as Vanessa slowed the truck to a stop and turned off the ignition. He looked over to her.

"We're not going to Roaring Mountain first?" Loki asked, second guessing what he had been told.

"Got to set up camp. Don't want to be setting up in the dark," Vanessa answered, opening the door and stepping out. She looked to see the rest of her team pulling in and parking. She closed her car door. "We'll get there soon enough," she smiled to Loki. Loki slightly nodded, and looked in the direction of the rest of the team as they started to unload their vehicles of camping equipment. Vanessa opened her trunk door and leaned in, grabbing the large bag which contained her tent. She handed it to Loki. "Here. You can take this over to where the rest of the guys are setting up and we'll get this camp up and running," she instructed, a boss-like smile on her face.

Loki took the bag from her. "Sounds like a plan," Loki responded.

"Very much so," Vanessa smiled, nodding for Loki to go and join the others while she grabbed more camping equipment and supplies.

It took Vanessa, Loki, and her team about 2 hours to set up everything in the camp. In the process of getting everything settled, Loki learned the important points of camping and properly setting up a campsite - in the human fashion anyway. Camping wasn't completely foreign to him, but having lived a majority of his life in the safety and comfort of the prestigious Golden Palace of Asgard, he had a feeling he was going to have to get used to this kind of lifestyle if he was to spend most of his time with these people. He once again witnessed how primitive humans were, as their camping equipment was very simple. Asgardians definitely had far more advanced equipment, mimicking solid structure living spaces, complete with heat, plumbing, and protection from the elements. Although, part of him did wonder if this was what these people might have preferred. But he did miss the more modern conveniences of his former life in this regard. Luckily enough, this area was an official campsite designated by the park, and did offer shower and bathroom facilities, so not all of the modern conveniences were missing from their site. But otherwise they truly were on their own.

Upon settling everything in the campsite, once again the team was back in their trucks and headed only four miles north to Roaring Mountain. Despite Loki's original fears, it turned out he might actually get a good nights rest, as sounds of the mountain could not be heard from their campsite. For that he was thankful. Breaking through the pines, Vanessa's black CR-V pulled over onto a space on the side of the road, her team following suit behind her. Turning off the ignition, she stepped out and shut the door, her hands on her hips. Loki closed his door and walked around the front of the truck to join her. He looked in the same direction.

"Is that it?" he asked.

"The one and only," Vanessa replied, facing a barren mountain side, hot steam flowing out all along various parts of the tan colored soil.

"Boy does that look depressing," Adam noted, walking over to Vanessa and Loki, crossing his arms over his chest. "Doesn't smell much better either," he added, making reference to the sulfurous rotten egg odor in the air. Much of Yellowstone had sulfurous gases wafting throughout the park, especially around the hydrothermal areas. It wasn't always pleasant, but it was merely the Earth doing its thing.

"It'll make it harder to blame you for the noxious fumes Adam," Jesse mentioned, joining everyone else now staring at the mountain.

"Don't worry. There will be plenty of those to go around back at the campsite," Adam smiled, leaning back and smiling assuredly at Jesse.

"No beans for you," Vanessa commented. Adam let a small laugh escape him.

"Luckily enough the gases we'll be studying today won't be Adam's," Gabe smiled, carrying the evacuated flasks and the device they were to use to collect some of the gases emitted from the volcanic vents.

"Good thing. We'd be dead in seconds otherwise," Vanessa added.

"Can we get off the subject of my ass and get on with this already?" Adam asked, getting irritated with the shots the team was taking at him.

"But your butt it so cute," Vanessa smiled, pouting her lips slightly. Adam's face lit up. He looked over to Vanessa.

"Well, if you think so, that certainly changes things," he smiled flirtatiously, raising his eyebrows. Vanessa looked to her watch.

"It just might. But for now, we've got work to do," she replied, turning to walk to the back of her truck and opening the door. She leaned in to grab some clipboards with paperwork, the walkies they would use to keep contact and some portable GPS units. "Take some of these from me would you," she said directing to Gabe, the team member standing closest to her. Passing the equipment out, each member took what they needed, fastening them on themselves in order to start their studies. She handed Loki a canvas case, which he slung over his shoulder. After giving everyone what they needed, Vanessa closed her trunk door, and looking both ways, crossed the parkway in front of her. Taking her cue the rest of the team followed her. Stephen brought up the rear, and jogged to catch up to Vanessa.

"Hey Vanessa, don't forget these," he said, handing her a gas mask.

"Right, thank you Stephen," she said, taking two gas masks from him. She handed one to Loki beside her.

"Here," she said. "This will protect you from breathing in something that _really_ might kill you," she explained, as he took the mask from her. The gases around Yellowstone weren't necessarily deadly, but it paid to be safe rather than sorry. Loki looked to the others as they slipped the masks on over their faces, and after untangling the straps, soon had his own over his nose and mouth. As Vanessa ascended the mountainside, she slowed her pace, then turning to face her team behind her.

"Alright guys, you know the drill. Above all else, be safe, use good judgment. Put simply, don't be idiots," she directed. Jesse rolled his eyes at his boss' form of caution, slightly shaking his head. But Vanessa saw the creases at the edges of his eyes, indicating a smile underneath his mask. "Just make sure to watch your footing, and if you get hurt or run into any kind of trouble, yell or use your radios," Vanessa said, pointing to the walkie she had strapped to her belt. "Nobody is to traverse this mountain alone," she said, turning fully to face her team. "Logan, you will come with me. Jesse, you team up with Stephen. And Gabe, you and Adam are buddies for the day," she said, gesturing to each of her team.

"Oh goody," Adam replied, with a sarcastic brightness to his voice. Vanessa looked to her watch once more.

"Let's split up and make our way up the mountain. Don't forget to document your location with each measurement. We'll meet back here at 3:30 and then check in on the progress we've made," Vanessa directed.

"Sounds good," Jesse replied. He leaned forward handing her some extra equipment. "Here you go," he said, handing Vanessa a geothermal thermometer to document the ground temperatures, and the evacuated flasks with their tubing and funnels attached to capture the gasses.

"Thanks," she said, taking the equipment. She coiled the tubing and threw it over her shoulder, while she handed Loki the flasks and thermometer. She nodded in thanks. "Ok team, away we go," she said, as the two other pairs split off away from Loki and Vanessa to conduct their measurements.

Standing at the bottom of the mountain, Loki looked up, noticing it wasn't an incredibly large or steep mountain. It was more like a very large hill, and Loki could see land extending beyond the top of the mountainside, tall pines at its pinnacle. He creased his brow, noticing that the mountain was far quieter than what he had anticipated. Following Vanessa he looked slightly to her.

"Forgive me, but I thought this was called Roaring Mountain? Isn't there supposed to be noise?" he asked. Vanessa maintained her gaze forward, continuing her ascent.

"If you listen closely, you can hear the noises from the fumaroles," she replied.

"The what?" Loki asked.

"It's a term for volcanic vents," she explained, looking down to make sure her footing was steady. She took another step. "Years ago this mountain was a much louder place. It was said that the mountain could be heard miles away, but the noise has since died down. It all depends on the groundwater, the gases, and the behavior of the heat source under the ground. We're here to study all of that on this expedition," she continued, clarifying for Loki.

"Oh," Loki replied, his mind once again opened to the sciences that humans studied. Taking another 20 steps, Vanessa and Loki finally arrived close enough to one of the vents, steam flowing out of it and floating high into the air. Loki watched it as it was caught by the wind, dissipating into the atmosphere. He looked to the vent, merely a crack in the side of the mountain, and sure enough, now that he was closer, could hear a roaring noise coming from the steam. He also noticed the smell, quite a bit stronger, being so close to the vent. He saw Vanessa look to her GPS unit and make a note of their location on her clipboard. She looked to Loki. "Could you hand me the thermometer?" she asked, extending her hand. Loki looked to her and then down to the thermometer and the flasks in his hands. He hated to say he wasn't quite sure of what she was asking. Vanessa merely pointed to his right hand. "It's the thing with the long silver stick at the end of it," she said, explaining genuinely.

"Of course," Loki said, handing it to her, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, must be the fumes getting to me," he said, handing the device to her. He didn't necessarily need to explain himself, but couldn't stop himself.

“No problem. Happens to the best of us," Vanessa replied, merely turning on the thermometer and sticking the long end into the crack in the ground. Her eyes went to Loki briefly, meeting his for a moment, and then back to the numbers climbing steadily on the thermometer. Once the numbers stopped climbing, Vanessa put a note down of the temperature on her clipboard. She then uncoiled the tubing on her shoulder and placed the end with the funnel over a part of the vent, in order to collect the gas. She motioned for Loki to hand her one of the flasks, and connected it to the end of the tubing. She then adjusted the valve on the flask, and allowed it to fill with the fumes from the vent. "There we go," she said. She waited a few more seconds, and then closed the valve, having collected all the sample she needed. She took a marker out of her pocket and wrote on the flask, indicating its location, so she would know where and when it was taken.

"Ok," Vanessa said, placing the flask in the case Loki was carrying. She looked up to Loki. "One down. A bunch more to go," she said, raising her eyebrows above her mask. She grabbed the thermometer and began to move on to the next vent up the mountain, Loki following behind her.

Finally 3:30 came and the team was at the bottom of the mountain comparing notes and their progress. They still had quite a bit more to do, but they decided to call it quits for the day. Just because they were working didn't mean they couldn't relax and have some fun. Piling back into their trucks after stowing their equipment, they were soon headed back to the campsite.

After arriving back to the campsite, none was happier to have the opportunity to lounge than Adam, who immediately found a chair by the fire pit. He looked over to Vanessa, who was walking over to the site, Loki in tow behind her.

"Hey Vanessa, start a fire would ya?" he asked, leaning back in his chair. Vanessa stared at him.

"And you can't because?" she asked.

"It's too much work. And, you do it so well," he said, attempting to be as complimentary as possible.

"How sweet," Vanessa replied, having no intention whatsoever to oblige Adam.

"You're not gonna do it, are you?" he said, reading her.

"What do you think?" she asked, taking a seat next to him. He sighed, looking to the sky.

"Aww, come on. It's not like you have to lift a finger," Adam stated, referencing her specific abilities. Loki looked to her, unsure of what Adam was referencing, and then back to Adam.

"You're right," Vanessa agreed. "Especially when I have you to make the fire for me," she smiled widely.

"Touché," Adam replied, getting up to grab some firewood and start making the fire. Loki smiled as he joined Vanessa, the others filling in, Jesse helping Adam with the fire. He certainly appreciated her wit. He would have exercised more of his own, but laying low was the best option for his identity right now, so that was how things stayed. Loki looked around, and rather than act like the pampered prince he had grown up to be, decided to be of more use.

"Anything I can do?" he asked, seeing as how almost everyone else was busy doing something. Vanessa looked to him and then around to the others.

"Sure," she said. "We can help get dinner ready," she replied, leaning forward to get up out of her chair. "Come on," she said, making her way to her truck, opening the back and leaning in to grab the portable grill to place over the fire. She grabbed a package from the cooler in her truck. "On the menu tonight: hotdogs, potato salad, baked beans and s'mores for dessert. Just don't tell Adam about the beans," she smiled, handing Loki the poles for the grill.

"I remember the warnings from earlier," he replied, taking the items from her and making his way back toward the fire pit to help with the set up.


	12. Ch. 12

Their dinner was relatively early, but were definitely hungry enough for it, having worked so hard during the day. The sun was falling to the horizon, everyone relaxing with their now full bellies. The smell of roasting marshmallows filled the air as the team worked on their dessert, sipping on open pop and beer. Jesse decided to bring his guitar along for the trip, and was strumming out some tunes to pass the time. Loki was thankful the music he chose appeared to be more easy going than what their band usually played back at the cabin.

Gabe's laughter filled the campsite as the guys recanted a story from their work earlier at Roaring Mountain.

"You should have seen it. Gabe landed on his ass so hard," Adam laughed along with him.

"Yeah, I'll definitely have a bruise," Gabe nodded. "But, I wouldn't have fallen so hard if you hadn't scared the crap out of me when you got the thermometer stuck in the ground," Gabe defended, pointing to Adam.

"Oh please," Adam argued. "It was the funniest thing ever. I hope some tourist got that on camera," Adam continued.

"Hey, it could win on America's Funniest Home Videos," Gabe mused, looking up in thought.

"Oh snap," Adam suddenly mentioned, noticing a flash of flame over the fire. "Logan, your marshmallow's on fire," he stated, pointing to Loki's stick and the flame at the end.

"Oh no," he said, grabbing the stick, quickly blowing it out. He eyed the now charred marshmallow at the end. From what he was told, the goal was to get the soft white pillow-like snack a golden color, which was then sandwiched between chocolate and a sugar cookie called a graham cracker. He couldn't say they had a dessert like this on Asgard, and all he recognized out of the dessert was chocolate. But he figured that sounded good enough.

But looking at the now blackened marshmallow, he wasn't quite sure what was recommended.

"Oh, hey man, if you don't want it, I'll take it. I love my marshmallows burnt to a crisp," Adam offered. "I was actually waiting for mine to catch, but looks like you beat me to it," he said.

"You would like your marshmallows burnt," Vanessa commented un-enthusiastically, rotating her own marshmallow over the fire.

"Are you kidding? It's an explosion of deliciousness," Adam defended. Loki looked to her and then to his marshmallow, deciding on what to do. He was actually surprised that Adam was being a little kinder to him. Deciding he wasn't much a fan of burnt to a crisp food, he handed Adam his stick with the charred marshmallow.

"All yours," he said, Adam leaning forward to take it from him.

"Ah, thanks man. I owe you," he said, excited for his dessert.

"Don't mention it," Loki replied, reaching for another stick and another marshmallow to roast. But Vanessa stopped him.

"Hey don't bother with that. You can have mine," she offered, already taking her marshmallow from the flame, putting it between the graham cracker and chocolate.

"No, it's alright. I'll just get another one," Loki insisted.

"Don't be silly. Here," she said, handing him her s'more. He looked to her, reluctant to take it. Despite his enjoyment of being waited on, he was starting to enjoy doing some things for himself. He looked from the dessert to her once more. She raised a brow, her eyes half lidded. "Take it or I punch you," she threatened. He raised a brow at her, taking the s'more from her.

"Thank you," he replied genuinely.

"You're welcome. Now hand me a new one," she said. Loki rolled his eyes, a small wave of guilt washing over him. Grabbing one from the bag he handed it to her, and she stuck it on her stick, starting the process of creating another s'more once again.

"You were smart to listen to her. Her punches leave bruises that last for weeks," Adam commented, his mouth full of charred s'more. But he leaned a little closer to Loki. "This one time, I got this bruise. You see, we were naked and she had the cutest little – Gah!" Adam started, but immediately stopped when a rather large gust of wind suddenly blew the fire toward him, causing him to jump and fall backwards in his chair. Everyone including Loki burst out laughing, as Adam struggled to get up and untangle himself from his folding chair.

"Man down," Gabe supplied. Vanessa merely stared at him calmly, holding her marshmallow over the fire.

"That's unfortunate," she commented, her eyes sliding to Adam.

"That's what I mean! She leaves bruises that last for weeks," he said, pointing at her, finally getting up out of his chair, and righting it. He sat back down in his chair, rubbing his back.

"Oh really? That's strange, because seems to me you just fell back in your chair," Vanessa calmly observed, her eyes flowing between him and her marshmallow. "Stop being such a lightweight Adam. You know you’ve had too much when a gust of wind can knock you over," she continued her eyes flitting calmly over to him, wondering if he would say anything further.

"Yeah, sure, wind," he said, eyeing her begrudgingly. "Or _something_ ," he said, emphasizing the word.

"That's karma getting you man," Gabe supplied, pointing over to him, an open beer bottle in hand.

"Karma's a nice word for it," Vanessa agreed, smiling smugly over to Gabe. Adam eyed her once more.

"Cute," he said, knowing exactly the reason behind the fire and its behavior. He kept his eyes on Vanessa, still somewhat cautious. But finally deciding to brush aside any precautions he should be taking, he leaned back toward Loki once more, placing one of his elbows on his knee to support him. "Well anyway, like I was saying, she was naked," he said, continuing on as though nothing had happened. Some of the other guys laughed at Adam's boldness, Jesse looking up to the sky in disbelief. But as Adam tried to continue the story, his attention was brought elsewhere, noticing the fire gaining some intensity, the flames burning a few shades brighter, bigger, and louder. He eyed it, and then Vanessa, rethinking his decision to continue. He looked up briefly. "You know, my mistake, that was a porno I watched last week," he said, nodding as if to confirm his train of thought. "You know, the one where the woman has mystical powers," he said, looking pointedly at Vanessa. She merely smiled widely back at him.

"Those things have plots?" Stephen asked, breaking his usual silence.

"Of course they do! They are some of the greatest cinematic masterpieces of our generation," Adam expounded. He looked over in Loki's direction once more. "Remind me to let you borrow it sometime. I guarantee you won't be disappointed," he said, pointing over to Loki, winking slightly. For some reason Loki couldn't help but feel like he was hanging around his former warrior friend Fandral.

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied, still not sure as to what Adam was referring, but he figured it was something sexual in nature. Vanessa looked over to Loki next to her and then back to the fire, an un-amused expression on her face.

"I really need some girlfriends," she said, turning her marshmallow in the fire.

"Oh, oh! And naked in a mud pit would be really great," Adam smiled hopefully toward her.

"How good of friends do you want to become with the fire pit Adam?" she asked.

"Pit? I heard the word pit in there somewhere. Did I hear mud?" he asked, and excited expression on his face, apparently on some kind of roll. The rest of the guys were laughing in stitches around the fire, Loki a small smile on his lips. Vanessa sighed.

"I'm going to bed," she said, rolling her eyes, dismissing her s'more and standing up.

"Aw come on Vanessa. We're just playing around," Gabe said, pleading with her to stay.

"No, no, I wouldn't want to dampen your little testosterone party over here," she said, a hand on her hip, looking to her team.

"Fine, be a drama queen. Miss out on the fun," Adam taunted. Vanessa looked to him, a challenging look in her eye.

"You got a few parts right. A queen, I definitely am," she said, a threatening glint in her eye. "But fun is far from what I will miss out on tonight," she said, raising a brow at Adam. Adam gave her a perplexed stare, unsure of where she was heading with this. Her eyes drifted to Gabe. "Gabe, you're working the 'extra shift' tonight," she directed. "And I'm expecting you to put in double the effort," she continued, then turning to start toward her tent. Gabe's eyes went wide, a semi-worried expression overtaking his face as he looked to the men. Loki also raised a brow in Gabe's direction. They looked back to him, expectant of a response.

"I don't want to," he said, a trace of fear in his voice.

"What?" Adam exclaimed, pure disbelief in his voice. "Why the heck not?" he asked.

Gabe looked to the men again, his eyes darting around.

"She scares me," he replied, his brow furrowed with worry.

"Dude, dude, Gabe. I will totally take your shift," Adam offered, a far too excited demeanor about him.

"If you can survive it," Gabe replied, more than willing to pass up Vanessa's offer. He knew it was a joke, but part of him couldn't help but feel intimidated by the idea of sleeping with his boss. Adam swiftly turned to face behind him to yell to Vanessa.

"Hey, if Gabe can't work tonight, could I fill in?" he yelled in her direction. The men smiled at Adam's brashness, looking to one another. Vanessa turned dramatically, holding onto her tent.

"I'm sorry Adam, but Gabe is the only one qualified for the position," she replied, lowering her eyes to Gabe. "Or perhaps I should say positions," she winked. Gabe swallowed, his eyes still wide. Vanessa allowed a smug smile cross her face. "Seeing as how Gabe is the only one fit for the job, and he appears unable to perform, well then, I guess I am closed for business for the night," she explained, raising her eyebrows. Her eyes drifted up to the sky. "Too bad. We would have been very productive," she commented, shaking her head slightly. She then looked to the men one last time. "Night boys," she said, lingering for a moment, and then disappearing into her tent and zipping up the flap.

Now it was Adam's turn to maintain a wide eyed stare. He looked in the direction of Vanessa's tent.

"Dude, I think a part of me just died inside," he commented, a deflated air about him. He looked over to Gabe. "What the heck is wrong with you? How can you call yourself a man after passing that up?" he asked, grilling Gabe.

"It's just a joke Adam. Give him a break," Jesse supplied, offering Gabe some rest from Adam's third degree.

"I know. But dude," he exclaimed once more, disbelief failing to leave his system quietly.

Gabe's eyes remained wide, while Jesse only shook his head. Adam looked over to Loki, smacking him with the back of his hand.

"Tell me, what self-respecting man would pass an opportunity like that up?" he asked. Loki looked to Adam's hand and then to Adam. He started to open his mouth to respond, but Adam cut him off before he got the chance. "I mean really. You call yourself a man Gabe? You're an insult to men everywhere," he continued, failing to cease his attack on his colleague. Loki looked over to Gabe, making eye contact, and then looked to Adam. A discerning expression overtook Loki's face, as he shook his head. He couldn't say he completely agreed with Adam's standpoint. Vanessa was quite an intimidating force to reckon with, and he figured that crossing a woman like her truly could lead to one's death - or something close to it. He didn't have any evidence to suggest she was deadly, other than her personality, but he couldn't help but shake the sense of caution to be had around her. She definitely didn't take any crap from anyone. And despite the fact he found that quality intimidating, he also found her earning his respect.

Loki leaned back and rested his chin in his hand, placing his elbow on the arm of his chair.

"Well, I think he's smart," Loki piped up, deciding to put in his two cents.

"Thank you," Gabe replied, looking over to Loki. "At least somebody agrees with me," Gabe continued, gesturing to Loki and looking over to Adam. Adam looked over to Loki, an unimpressed expression on his face. He was about to respond to Loki, but Jesse interrupted.

"Adam," he said, getting his attention. Adam looked over to him. "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all," he supplied, acting once again as the father of the group. Adam furrowed his brow, his mouth stretching to one side. "Plus, Vanessa gave Logan permission to take you down, so choose your words wisely," he advised, looking to Loki, and slightly nodding his head. Adam looked to Loki, eyeing him up and down, as if to get a gauge on him.

"I could take him," he said, leaning away from Loki in his chair.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Jesse said, lowering his head, his eyes going to Loki once more. Loki looked to Jesse, lowering his head as well, as if trying to understand what Jesse was insinuating. Jesse merely maintained a calm demeanor about him, allowing it to filter throughout the rest of the campsite. Loki furrowed his brow, and couldn't help but feel a shiver of paranoia overtake him. He eyed Jesse once more, wondering if he had a need to keep his wits about him more than he had been. But Jesse only smiled calmly to Loki, then moving to place his guitar down into its case next to his chair. "Well, insult to men or not, Gabe has the right to choose to do whatever he wants," Jesse stated with some finality. He got up and stretched his arms. "I don't know about you guys, but I think I'm going to turn in for the night. We still have a days worth of work ahead of us tomorrow," Jesse reminded them.

"Can't we just go swimming instead?" Adam asked, his attention distracted like a kid hyper on sugar.

"Not if we want to receive a paycheck," Gabe supplied, also making moves to end the night. He grabbed a poker used for the fire and began to spread the ashes so the fire would die out more quickly. Jesse looked to the men.

"Come on guys, let's call it a night," he said, helping the men clean up the campsite. Loki got up as well, helping to fold some of the chairs and set them against some trees. After stowing away the food and chairs, the men filtered into their tents. They bid their own goodnights to one another, and Loki followed Stephen, who offered to share a tent with him. Loki didn't know Stephen as well as the other men, mainly because Stephen tended to be the quietest of the group. But he couldn't say that was a bad thing. Even though Stephen kept quiet most of the time, Loki could tell he was soaking everything in about his surroundings – which got Loki to thinking about whether or not these people knew more about him than he realized. None of them said anything to him, and as far as he could tell, his cover was still intact. But there was something about the way Jesse had regarded him earlier that was making him question how perceptive these people truly were.

Settling comfortably in his own sleeping bag, Loki laid his head down on his pillow. Stephen had already turned the lamp off, allowing the darkness of the night to invade the tent. Through a screen in the roof, Loki could see the night sky, the stars twinkling down upon the dark landscape below. Loki sighed, looking up to those stars, knowing many of the stories those very stars held. Once he had been a part of those stars, and staring at them like he had never before, he began to wonder if he would ever join them again. But strangely enough, he wasn't sure he truly wanted to. Those stars had betrayed him, and lead him to believe he had glorious purpose. But now? The image was far from clear. Loki closed his eyes, allowing the night sounds to invade his senses. The only thing he could do now was wait, and see where life was taking him. He felt his senses become heavy with fatigue, and drifting into the beginning stages of sleep, faded away to the sound of a wolf howling in the far distance.


	13. Ch. 13

The second day at Roaring Mountain proved more of the same analysis Loki had helped to conduct the day before. However, today Loki found himself paired up with Gabe, while Vanessa worked with Jesse. Gabe was enjoyable enough to work with, and at least he didn't bust Loki's chops like Adam did. Seeing as how Loki had agreed with Gabe on his standpoint with fraternizing with one’s boss, they seemed to have bonded slightly as a result. And if it wasn't bonding, then at least it was some kind of appreciation.

At the moment, Loki and Gabe were located close to the top of the mountain, but instead of taking samples, they had a different task at hand. As Loki understood it, with nearly every expedition, one task they needed to complete was to plant sensors at various locations in the park for their super computer Zordon. These sensors, along with others which had previously been placed, would contribute more information to the computer to use and give the scientists a much better and up-to-date image of the park. It would allow the scientists to monitor the activity in the park and head them off if there were any dramatic changes they should be concerned about.

"Hey, hand me that other shovel would you?" Gabe asked, standing nearly two and a half feet below ground level in the hole he had dug for the sensor. Loki handed the sturdier shovel to Gabe. "Thanks," he said, taking another stab at the ground. Loki had already dug some of the hole, and was taking a short break. He stood leaning on the second shovel.

"How much further do we have to dig?" he asked, looking down to Gabe.

"About a half a foot more. We gotta make sure the sensor will stand upright and remain secure," he replied, shoveling some earth out. Loki looked to the horizon, and then back down to Gabe, squinting his eyes in the sun.

"Are there other places like this on Earth?" Loki asked out of the blue. Gabe continued to dig.

"What?" he asked.

"Well, like this volcano, with this kind of landscape? Is this common?" he asked. He knew the question truly made him sound like an alien from another planet – and considering he was one, he felt his question valid. But he was curious.

"Not exactly," Gabe answered, shoveling some more earth out of the ground. Gabe took a break, leaning on the shovel for support. "I mean, there are hundreds of volcanoes around the world, and most of them have similar landscapes, but none quite as extensive as this," he explained further.

"Why is this one so special?" Loki asked.

"Well, because this volcano hasn't formed like most volcanoes," Gabe began to explain. Loki looked on, curious of a further explanation. "Most volcanoes form at tectonic boundaries," he said, looking up at Loki. Loki raised a brow, unsure of what Gabe meant. Gabe sighed. He wasn't aggravated, but it was a long and complicated explanation. He brought up his hands and laid them flat, facing the ground, moving them right next to each other. "The earth's crust is made up of tectonic plates. These plates constantly move and have changed the landscape and location of the continents for millions of years," he started. He moved his hands apart and back together again to better illustrate his point. "The plates move at a very slow rate, but it's the Earth's way of recycling the crust and making new. That's what volcanoes do. They create new and fresh crust by ejecting magma from deep within the earth, so it can cool to make fertile ground," he said looking up to Loki. Loki maintained his interest, but Gabe could tell Loki looked as though he was waiting for him to get to the point. "Anyway, most volcanoes occur at the boundaries of these plates," he said, illustrating with his hands again. "Volcanoes at plate boundaries are extremely common, but Yellowstone is different," he said. He held up one hand. "Sometimes, and for reasons geologists are still trying to figure out, random volcanoes form in the middle of tectonic plates. We call them Hot Spots," Gabe explained, using a finger pointed to the middle of his hand to better illustrate his point.

"So Yellowstone is one of those Hot Spots," Loki stated more than asked.

"Exactly," Gabe answered. "But, Yellowstone isn't just any Hot Spot," he paused, looking back up to Loki. "There are about 40 known Hot Spots around the world, and most are pretty harmless. The harmless ones have formed in oceanic crust, meaning crust formed underneath the oceans. That crust is thinner, and the content of the magma is different. It's less viscous, meaning, it's more runny. If the magma is thin, all of the dissolved gases can escape more easily making the eruption less explosive and dangerous. Hawaii is an example of a Hot Spot in oceanic crust. And you can out walk a lava flow in Hawaii. Not to mention take a great vacation," he said smiling briefly. Loki crinkled his brow, unsure of what or where Hawaii was, but he could still follow most of what Gabe was explaining to him.

"Good thing the lava flows are easy to avoid then," Loki commented.

"Heh, yeah," Gabe replied. He leaned on the shovel once more. "And coincidently enough Yellowstone is a great vacation destination as well. There aren't as many women walking around in bikini's," Gabe paused, shrugging looking at the scenery. "But the nature is nice enough," he said, smiling up to Loki.

"Did I hear bikinis?" a voice yelled up to them. It was Adam, followed by Stephen, as they made their way up the steaming mountain. Loki and Gabe looked in the direction of the duo headed their direction.

"Adam, I swear, you can hear something sex related from 10 miles away," Gabe commented looking up at Adam and Stephen beside the hole. Adam merely smiled widely.

"How's your hole coming along?" he asked, a smirk on his face. Gabe sighed.

"My hole is great," he said pointedly up at Adam. "But I'm kind of in the middle of something." Adam allowed a mock surprised look overtake his face.

"Whoa there. Didn't realize you were so sensitive about your hole," he said. Even Loki had to smile at that one. Gabe looked back in Loki's direction, ignoring Adam.

" _Anyway_ ," he continued. "Yellowstone is a Hot Spot which has formed in continental crust. Continental crust is thicker and has a different composition than oceanic crust, which causes the content of the magma to be more viscous, or in other words thicker," he said gesturing up to Loki. "When the magma is thicker it traps the dissolved gases and causes pressure to build. And coupled with the thicker continental crust, the pressure building underground is enormous. Essentially it's like a pressure cooker," Gabe explained.

"So," Loki started, trying to follow Gabe as much as possible. "I'm guessing these eruptions are more explosive?" Loki offered. It made sense given Gabe's explanation.

"More explosive than Adam after he's eaten a bean burrito," Gabe smiled up at him.

"Hey man, don't start attacking _my_ hole now," Adam defended.

"You attacked mine first," Gabe exclaimed gesturing up to Adam. Loki looked between Adam and Gabe.

"So, how explosive are these kinds of volcanoes?" Loki asked, getting the train back on the tracks. Gabe looked up to him. "In comparison to other volcanoes?" Loki expanded.

"They're catastrophic buddy," Adam replied. Loki looked over to him. "We're talking end of the world catastrophic," he said, leaning over toward Loki, nodding his head.

"The world wouldn't end," Gabe said, furrowing his brow at Adam.

"Well, it'd come pretty darn near close," Adam clarified, looking pointedly at Gabe. Loki had a confused expression on his face, unsure of who to believe. He got that the volcano was dangerous, but what were these guys arguing about? As Loki looked to the men, about to ask another question, he became distracted when he noticed Gabe shift his focus to the bottom of the mountain. Matching Gabe’s behavior, Loki looked as well, spotting a group of men walking up the road headed by a park ranger. The group of about 20 men were wearing bulky yellow jackets and some type of helmet on their heads. Loki could see them looking up at the mountain in their direction, pointing as they walked. To Loki it looked as though they were conducting some kind of survey of the land. He also noticed they wore packs on their backs, and were carrying what appeared to be axes.

Further down the mountain, he saw Vanessa and Jesse's attention grabbed by the appearance of the men, and the two of them stopped their analysis, starting a descent to the group. Once Vanessa and Jesse reached the group, Loki saw them extend their hands toward one of the members and the park ranger, evidently introducing themselves.

"Wonder what that's about?" Gabe asked, looking down the mountain.

"Maybe we should go and check it out," Adam suggested. Gabe shrugged, and began climbing out of the hole, following the rest of the men as they made their way down the mountain toward Vanessa and Jesse. Carefully watching his step, Loki made his way down the mountain. But upon reaching Vanessa, he saw her hugging one of the men, an exceptionally excited air about her. Loki raised a brow, his curiosity getting the better of him, compelling him to find out what was going on.

"I can't believe it's you! How the heck are you doing?" she asked excitedly, holding onto the shoulders of the man.

"I'm good," the man smiled, letting go of her and placing a hand in his pockets.

“You know this knucklehead?” she heard William Red Bear ask, stopping with the group he was directing, a wry smile on his face.

Vanessa smiled.

"I sure do,” she responded, a knowing expression upon her own. Her gazed shifted back to the man in front of her. “I see you've let yourself go a little scruffy," Loki heard Vanessa comment, placing a hand on her hip, referencing the man's scruffy facial hair, and longer mousey brown hair. "I like it," she said, winking with a smile on her face. She looked over to see the rest of her team joining them.

"Oh John, I'd like you to meet the rest of my team," she said, gesturing to the men as they extended their hands to him, introducing themselves. When it was Loki's turn, he maintained his name as Logan, and shook the man's hand. The man had a firm handshake, despite standing a head shorter than Loki.

"Guys," Vanessa started, looking to her team. "This is John Allerdyce. He's a friend of mine from way back," she smiled. "We were practically thick as thieves when we were kids," she said, looking over to him and crossing her arms.

"Almost," John replied, running his hand over his facial hair.

"My guess is that you once were thieves," Adam offered, looking to Vanessa. Vanessa looked over to John.

"Well," she started. A slightly guilty expression overtook John's face. "He was. I wasn't," Vanessa smiled back to Adam.

"Ha, thanks," John replied, raising a brow to Vanessa. Vanessa suddenly turned back to John.

"So what are you doing out here?" she asked, maintaining her excited demeanor.

"I'm a Battalion Chief for the Yellowstone Fire Fighting Squad," he replied, nodding slightly, a proud smile on his face. He looked to the men behind him.

"Are you really?" Vanessa asked, her tone more acknowledging than a true question. "Congratulations John," she said honestly. The look on her face was of complete pride. He looked down in slight modesty. "I really am happy for you," Vanessa continued.

"Well, you know, I decided to finally take you up on your suggestion," he explained, looking back up to her. "Turns out you were right," he acknowledged.

"I knew you'd find your way one day," Vanessa replied.

"Well, you know. It took a few bumps along the way," John admitted.

"Nobody's perfect," Vanessa responded. "But I'm guessing that palling around with a self-righteous mass murderer didn't quite pay off, huh?" Vanessa asked.

"Not really, no," John replied, placing his axe on the ground, using it for support. Including Loki, the men looked to each other, confused expressions on their faces, unsure of what Vanessa was referring to. Loki was especially perplexed.

"So you're the geologists Dr. Lowens and William were talking about," John said, changing the subject slightly.

"Whatever they said we're guilty of we didn't do it," Vanessa smiled mischievously. "But yes, we are the ones," she validated, looking over to the rest of her team. William smiled at her comment. 

"I should have figured I'd see you out here at some point," John commented, lowering his gaze to Vanessa, communicating beyond his words. Loki could tell these two definitely had a history together, but were being incredibly cryptic about it. There were quite a few perplexing things he had noticed about Vanessa upon meeting her, and this was another to add to the collection. He eyed John, not necessarily intimidated by him, but certainly curious of him and his history. He looked to the other team members and could tell by their expressions they appeared to have similar feelings.

"Well, you know me and the earth," Vanessa commented, raising her eyebrows. Jesse looked to Vanessa, a knowing smile on his face.

"I certainly do," John said, meeting her gaze. "And it's a good fit," he said, smiling genuinely. They shared a small moment of understanding, maintaining eye contact. But Vanessa finally broke it, noticing the other firefighters of John's group becoming antsy.

"Hey, I can tell I'm holding up you and your fellow firemen," Vanessa said, looking beyond John. "And I’m sure William has a schedule to keep to as well,” she noted, nodding toward the park ranger. “But if you've got some time, come and stop by our campsite for dinner. We're at the Norris Campground," Vanessa invited. "We've got a lot of catching up to do," Vanessa added. John looked around to the rest of Vanessa's team, and nodded.

"Sounds great," he replied.

"Good," she said. She moved toward him, and gave him another warm hug.

"I'm so proud of you John," she said again. He hugged her back.

"Thanks," he said, looking at her. He took a few steps away from her, and looked to her team once more. "I'll see you guys later then. It was nice meeting you," he said, waving.

"Likewise," Jesse smiled warmly, waving in reply.

“See you around,” William noted, turning to continue leading the squad through the park. Waving one last time, John and his fire squad moved on down the road, continuing their survey of the land. Adam looked over to Vanessa, his arms crossed.

"What," he started. "Was that?" he asked, a surprised expression on his face. The rest of the team turned toward Vanessa, also expectant of an answer.

"Last time I checked, _that_ , was a him," she replied smartly.

"You know what I mean," he pressed. Vanessa crossed her arms, cocking her hip to the side.

"Well, I guess you'll just have to wait until dinner to find out," Vanessa answered, crossing her arms.

"Oh come on," Adam replied, looking to the side. Vanessa shifted her focus over to Gabe and Loki.

"You guys get the sensor planted yet?" Vanessa asked.

"Oh, um, well, we were just," Gabe stammered, feeling slightly on the spot. But Loki stepped up to the plate.

"We'll have it up and running within the hour," Loki replied, an assured smile on his face. He could tell Vanessa was looking for a straight answer, and for some reason Loki felt a surge of confidence flow through him. Perhaps it was his curiosity peeking through, and a desire to find answers of his own.

"Good," Vanessa answered shortly. "Then get to it," she directed. Gabe looked to Loki, his brow creased, but communicating thanks. Loki nodded.

"That's it?" Adam asked, his arms outstretched, clearly expecting more of a response from Vanessa and what had just happened. "You gotta give me something more to work with here," Adam pressed.

"Oh?" Vanessa asked, ready to turn and join back with Jesse to conduct their work. "Well, if that's the way you feel," she started. She nodded toward Gabe and Loki. "Then you can go help put Zordon's shaft into Gabe's hole," she smirked. Jesse gave Vanessa another one of his disapproving glances, while Stephen burst out laughing. Gabe merely allowed an exasperated sigh escape him. It must be take shots at Gabe day. Adam narrowed his eyes.

"That's not quite what I meant," he clarified.

"Hm, that's funny, because I'm sure I heard the word 'work' in there somewhere," she replied, looking up to the sky. "Weird," she said further. A moment passed, where Adam only stared at Vanessa, while she waited for the trio to head back up the mountain to finish their work. Her eyes darted to the side and then back to him again. "Anything further?" she asked, leaning toward Adam. Adam inhaled, then turned, joining Gabe and Loki, and they started their climb back up Roaring Mountain.

When Vanessa turned back to face Jesse and Stephen, Jesse maintained his calm but disapproving expression. Vanessa returned Jesse's expression with a confident one of her own.

"Hey, do you have a better way of handling him?" she asked.

"You don't have to resort to demeaning them," he countered.

"Oh please," she replied. "I promise, I do it out of love," she assured. Jesse slightly rolled his eyes and furrowed his brow, shaking his head slightly at her. "Come on, let's get this done," she said, sliding her gas mask back over her face and making an ascent back up the mountain.


	14. Ch. 14

Another day done and out of the way, the team found themselves back in their campground, relaxing in the warm but crisp evening air. The sun was already at the horizon, casting an orange-pink hue throughout the sky. Gabe leaned forward to flip the chicken wings on the grill the men had decided to fix that night. The smell of the barbeque sauce the wings had marinated in wafted throughout the campsite and added to the natural smell of the burning wood.

"So where's your mystery man?" Adam asked leaning forward obnoxiously.

Vanessa looked over to him.

"How the heck should I know? This wasn't some kind of formal invitation. I left it open ended," she said, relaxing in her chair, sipping on a beer. "He'll show up," she said, more than confident of his appearance.

"I bet 20 bucks he bails," Adam commented, leaning toward Loki. Loki merely rolled his eyes.

"I'll take you up on that," Jesse piped in, adding some ears of corn to the grill over the fire. Adam furrowed his brow, feeling as though Jesse knew something he didn't.

"I'm gonna lose my 20 bucks, aren't I?" Adam asked, when the swing of headlights illuminated the campsite and the rumbling of an engine approached them. He then noticed Jesse's eyes shift focus behind him as he stood up.

"Looks like it," he said, taking a few steps toward the dark grey Ford pick-up rolling into their campsite. Turning off the headlights and ignition, John stepped out and closed his door, dressed in more casual jeans and a light jacket. Vanessa also stood and walked over to greet him.

"John," she smiled, greeting him with another hug. "Glad you could make it," she stated genuinely.

"I wouldn't miss it," he smiled back. He let go of Vanessa and grasped Jesse's hand, who took the time to once again greet John.

"Good to see you again," Jesse smiled. "Please make yourself at home. Can I get you anything to drink?" he asked, as they made their way over to the folding chairs around the fire.

"Give him a beer. You know he wants one," Adam piped up.

Vanessa gave Adam an intense look, not appreciating any disrespect of their company. "Adam, do you see that river over there? Behave yourself or I'm going to make sure you don't come back up after I throw you in," she threatened, her eyes wide.

"You better listen. If I remember Vanessa correctly, she means business," John smiled, taking a seat next to Loki. Adam only narrowed his eyes, and leaned back in his chair, deciding that maybe silence was a better option for him at the moment. "A beer will be fine," he said, nodding to Jesse, who immediately went over to the cooler to retrieve one.

"So how long have you known Vanessa?" Jesse asked, handing John the beer, who nodded in thanks.

"Oh," he said, looking across at her. "What, we met when we were both about 12 or 13, right?" he asked her, popping the top of his beer bottle.

"Closer to 13 I think," Vanessa added.

"So quite a long time," John supplied, relaxing in his chair.

"We went to school together," Vanessa explained. "He was one of the things that got me through those days," she continued. "How's the old gang doing? Do you still talk to them?" Vanessa asked John.

"Oh yeah," he said. "They're great. I saw them about 3 months ago. We were actually talking about growing up at the institute and all the good times we had. Your name came up," John answered.

"Uh-oh," Vanessa replied. She leaned toward Loki. "I wasn't the most well behaved student back then," she commented.

"You don't say," Loki replied, finding that unsurprising. Jesse smiled lightly.

"Yeah, but we had fun," John said, as if caught in a reverie.

"So you're in their better graces now?" Vanessa asked, referring to John's mentors and now fellow colleagues.

"Yes, thankfully," John said, after taking a swig from his beer. He looked over to Vanessa. "I owe them a lot. They are a big reason why I'm out here and gainfully employed," John explained. Vanessa nodded, acknowledging the influence her previous mentors had even over her own career.

"Wait a minute," Gabe interrupted. "Where did you go to school again?" Gabe asked, looking over to Vanessa.

"The Xavier Institute," John replied, for both himself and Vanessa.

"Speaking if which," Vanessa said, a playful glint in her eye. "Have you still got it John?" she said, bringing her hand up, elegantly gesturing. Amidst the fluid motion of Vanessa's fingers, a small flame of fire suddenly flickered above her fingers. Loki's eyes went wide with surprise, unsure of what he had just witnessed. With a flick of her wrist, she shot the fire over in John's direction, who in turn retrieved it in his own hand, holding the flame above his palm. Loki looked between Vanessa and John, not sure of what was going on. He looked over to Adam, who also maintained a surprised expression on his face, but for a completely different reason than Loki. John looked at the flame, altering it in his palm, changing its size, shape and color. When suddenly he closed his open palm, extinguishing the flame.

"Pyro’s still my name," he smiled, cocking his head slightly to the side.

"You're one of them too?" Adam asked, an alarmed expression on his face. John looked over to Adam.

"If by _them_ , do you mean mutant?" he asked, a small bite to his voice. "Because that would be a yes," he verified, maintaining a hardened expression on his face. Adam grasped both arms of his chair, leaning away from John, his eyes still wide.

"Aw, man," he groaned.

"Is that a problem?" John asked, maintaining the bite in his voice.

"Well, yeah," Adam admitted. He looked over in John's direction. "Look, I don't have a problem with mutants, but it means that I'm even more screwed if I want to horse around you or Vanessa," he explained, gesturing to himself.

"Adam," Vanessa replied, looking over at him, her eyes half-lidded. "You're screwed if you horse around regardless," she clarified. "Logan could take you out with his bare hands," she went on. She looked over to Loki, who continued to hold his wide-eyed stare. Since when could humans conjure up and shoot flame out of their hands? He had run into some extraordinary humans before, especially with his last trip to New York, but this was something totally new.

"How did you do that?" Loki came right out. He knew it might blow his identity, but he couldn't help himself. He looked between John and Vanessa.

"Oh didn't you know?" Vanessa started. "Everyone can do it," she stated sarcastically. Jesse gave her an un-amused look, raising his brow.

John looked over to Loki, his brow raised in the same manner as Jesse's.

"You've never heard of mutants?" he asked, surprised. In this day and age, mutants made the headlines nearly everyday, between the controversies surrounding them or the crimes some committed. It was hard to find anyone who wasn't aware of them. Loki raised his eyebrows.

"Sorry?" he asked, unfamiliar with the term "mutant."

"Oh sure he has," Vanessa chimed in happily. She looked over to Loki. "I mean, it's not like it's easy to forget supernaturally genetically endowed humans," she commented, giving him some assistance. She kept her eyes on him, as if to communicate he follow her lead. He looked slightly to the side, but kept his eyes on her, furrowing his brow.

"Right," he said, understanding her, and appreciating her help. But part of him wondered why she offered it in the first place. Once again, he felt his suspicions of these people rise up once more. John continued to eye Loki, and noticing John's suspicion, Loki forced himself to relax. His mind was now full of questions, but he decided they would have to wait. "I'm sorry," he started, looking to Vanessa. "I just haven't actually run into a," he paused, adding a new word to his vocabulary. "Mutant, before," he finished, looking between Vanessa and John. That was definitely the truth.

"No worries," John offered, satisfied by Loki's response, and relaxing himself.

"Yeah, we're not as dangerous as people like to think we are," Vanessa said, a smug smile on her face. She had her eyes on John.

"Right. Until you piss Vanessa off," Adam supplied, crossing his arms. He looked pointedly over at her. "Many a time I've been the recipient of your anger. And I've got the scars to prove it," Adam continued. Vanessa looked passed Adam to Loki.

"He had it coming," she explained confidently. Loki smiled lightly, Adam rolling his eyes. "We're just special," Vanessa smiled, looking back to John. “But if you asked most people, we’re the stuff of nightmares,” she continued on. “Monsters. Outcasts. Freaks,” she listed dramatically. "I love it," she smiled confidently, looking over to Loki. John laughed lightly.

"We've _learned_ to love it," John clarified, he said looking to Vanessa. Jesse leaned forward to the fire, a plate in hand, beginning to remove the chicken and corn roasting on the grill.

"Well, _we_ certainly don't hold it against you," Jesse said, taking the plate and placing it on a small table next to his chair.

"Yeah, actually, we think it's pretty cool. Vanessa can do some awesome stuff," Gabe offered looking over to her.

"Relax Gabe, I already put you in for a raise," she replied. "Especially given the extra work you've been doing for me lately," she smiled suggestively. Gabe only rolled his eyes.

"I mean it. You've gotten us out of some pretty tough scrapes, and helped us get some amazing data. And it's all because of the help of your mutation," Gabe went on to explain. Vanessa adopted a surprised expression on her face.

"Oh, so I suppose my brain doesn't count," she said, pushing Gabe into a corner.

"No, I mean, yes, it does, but what I meant was," Gabe responded, trying to explain. But Vanessa softened her expression.

"Relax Gabe, I know what you meant," she said, giving him a chance to relax. "And thank you," she said, nodding slightly toward him. She meant it. She was lucky to have a group of people like her team in her life. They accepted her for who she was, not what. Given how threatened most people were by mutants, what she had with her team was extremely rare – and Vanessa was truly grateful for it.

"Order up," Jesse announced, passing out plates for everyone, starting the plate with the chicken wings around.

"Mmm, that smells great," John said taking some wings and placing them on his own plate. He handed the plate to Loki beside him.

"Trust me, Jesse's a great cook. It'll taste even better," Vanessa assured, taking some corn and passing it around. Jesse nodded in thanks.

Once everyone had taken enough food, Vanessa held up her beer in the air for a toast. "Well," she started, looking around to the group. "Welcome John," she said. John smiled, and nodded, lifting his own beer in the air slightly. Vanessa paused, deciding on what to say next. She looked around the group once more. "To old friendships," she decided.

"And to new ones," Jesse added, his eyes drifting to Loki briefly.

"And to new ones," Vanessa said, also looking to Loki. They all lifted their drinks in the air toward one another and then took a swig, soon after digging into their dinner.


	15. Ch. 15

After an immensely enjoyable dinner and some conversation afterward, Loki found himself calmly standing at the edge of the river which ran close by. He looked serenely upon the water, as it began to reflect the first stars making their appearance in the evening sky. His stomach was comfortably full, but his mind was running uncomfortably with questions, and he decided to take a break from the group for a bit to calm it. What else didn't he know about these people? What did they know about him? Should he even be with these people? And who was this John person? Was he to be trusted? Lost in thought he failed to notice the sound of footsteps approaching in the grass.

"Nice evening," he heard John's voice say, finding a place beside Loki, admiring the scenery as well. Loki looked calmly over to him.

"Yes, it is," he responded, his gaze going back out to the river. They remained silent for a few moments, enjoying the cool evening air.

"So Vanessa said you're an intern," John noted, starting conversation with Loki. Loki looked over to him again.

"Yes," he answered. "Something like that," he went on. He couldn't help but regard John with a slight icy tinge in his voice. He wasn't quite sure why, but perhaps it was because John was just another unknown element thrown into Loki's life. John looked to Loki, placing his hands in his pockets.

"Well, you'll learn a lot from her," John responded. "She's got a wealth of experience under her belt." Loki crossed his arms.

"And from the stories Vanessa was telling, so do you," Loki stated, attempting to peel back some of the layers of this John character. Perhaps it could shed some more light on Vanessa as well.

"You could say that," John responded, maintaining his gaze upon the flowing water. Loki looked over to him, expectant of further explanation. John didn't seem to want to volunteer anything easily, making Loki suspicious. But Loki's curiosity wouldn't stop bugging him, so he ventured a question.

"Earlier you mentioned something to Vanessa about her being right," Loki started. "What did you mean?"

John looked in Loki's direction and then down to the ground.

"Oh, that," he started. He looked back up. "Well," he said, shrugging. "I owe her really," he continued. Loki awaited more explanation. "Back when we were young and trying to figure out where our lives were going, she mentioned that she could see me as a firefighter. And well, here I am," he said. Loki slightly nodded, turning his head back to the water, but keeping his eyes on John. John smiled back at the memory. "That was when we were trying to pair up our powers with professions. And well, I guess Vanessa and I panned out pretty well," John said, looking to Loki next to him. "But I didn't get there very easily," John admitted. “Not as easily as Vanessa anyway," John added. Loki furrowed his brow.

"How so?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, you know, when you're young and you go through that rebellious stage," John started to explain. "Although, I guess my rebellious stage started a lot earlier than most kids," he mentioned, almost more to himself than to anyone else. Loki could have found his answer sufficient enough, but unfortunately wasn't satisfied. He decided to press a little harder.

"You wouldn't be referring to the 'self-righteous mass murderer' Vanessa mentioned, would you?" he asked. He knew he was prying, but he couldn't help himself. He only hoped John would indulge him.

John nodded. "That would be a big part of it, yeah," he answered. Loki was kind of surprised at John's quick response. John looked over to Loki. "Those were the days when I thought I knew it all," he said, a small smile on his face. For some reason Loki found himself smiling along with John.

"I know how that goes," he said, truly able to identify with the man standing next to him.

"Yeah," John smiled. "But I bet you didn't start a war because of your arrogance," John responded. Loki raised a brow in John's direction.

"You might be surprised," he said, deciding that was as far into his own past he need reveal.

"Well, I've got real skeletons in my closet," John said, his face falling.

"Who was the mass murderer?" Loki asked, curious.

"Oh," John started, leaning back on his heels. "He was a man I followed for a time. He was this mutant who could manipulate metal. Incredibly powerful," John said, nodding slightly in Loki's direction. "I thought his way was the right way - until it came to a dead end," John said.

"And what was his way?" Loki asked. John inhaled.

"He believed mutants were superior to humans. He believed mutants were who deserved to dominate the species, and it was the job of mutants to stamp humans out of existence. He believed humans and mutants were at war," John explained. A somber expression overtook his face. "And so did I, for a time," he said.

"What changed it for you?" Loki asked.

"We lost the war," John responded, looking over to Loki. Loki met eyes with John. John shrugged. "Sometimes you learn the hard way that certain things in life just don't work," he said, looking back out to the horizon. Loki absolutely knew what John meant by that statement.

"So what does work?" Loki asked.

"Maintaining the peace," John replied. "Coexistence. Acceptance," John went on. He shrugged again. "It sounds like a bunch of hippie crap, but it's true," John said. "Trust me," he continued, looking over to Loki. "You and I wouldn't be having this conversation if it weren't."

Loki nodded, not sure if he agreed with John and his standpoint, but he decided to continue to listen anyway. "And you have to admit when you're wrong and when you're lost," John admitted. Loki looked over to John again, his attention peaked. "Trust me, it's a rough road, and it took me a long time to admit it. But I realized I’d never be happy if I didn’t allow myself the chance to change and others to help," John stated seriously.

"Is that where Vanessa comes in?" Loki asked. John scrunched up his face in thought, tilting his head slightly to the side.

"Sort of," he answered. "But she had little to do with turning my life around," he said. "I mean, I guess you could say she provided me with some of the inspiration to turn things around, but I had more help from our mentors at the school we went to," he said. He started to smile. "Turns out all that coexistence crap they drilled into us was actually right," John smiled. "And," John continued. "Despite everything I had going against me, I was able to find a way to turn things around and rebuild my life," John smiled. Loki could hear the pride in his voice with the last statement. Clearly this John had no problem sharing the twists and turns his life had taken over the years. Loki looked back out to the water, contemplating what John had said. He wasn't sure if he appreciated John's tales or found them causing him discomfort. But they did hit close to home for Loki – a little too close for his comfort. He could have commented further regarding John's musings, but he decided to touch on a previous bit of the conversation.

"You said that other mutant could manipulate metal. You mean different mutants have different powers?" Loki asked, still trying to wrap his brain around mutants and what they were. It definitely came out of the blue for him. John raised a brow in Loki's direction.

"Man, you really haven't dealt with mutants before," he commented, maintaining his surprise at this guy's lack of knowledge about mutants. Loki looked down to John and slightly shrugged, as if to verify John's observation.

"I've lived a very," Loki paused, looking for the right word. "Sheltered life," he said, looking over to John, a small smile on his face. John looked to Loki and shrugged.

"Nah, it's cool," he replied, looking back out to the water. "But yeah, most mutants have powers that are different from one another. There are some that are similar. Like psychic ability is fairly common. But usually each mutant's power has something special that makes it unique. In a way, it's like a fingerprint," John explained.

"So there are different kinds of mutants," Loki clarified.

"Yeah, you could say that," John answered. Loki nodded slightly.

"So what kind of mutant are you?" Loki asked, his eyes floating to John.

"The same as Vanessa," John answered. He met eyes with Loki. "We're both elemental psionics," he said. Loki looked to him, awaiting further explanation. "We can control the elements of the Earth," he continued. Loki's eyes went back to the horizon and he nodded slightly. He kind of knew what John meant, but was still slightly confused. Sensing Loki needed clarification, John continued. "Like, I can control fire," he said. He uncrossed his arms and slid his hand into his pocket. Finding what he was looking for, he opened a small silver zippo lighter with the design of a shark mouth on it. Sparking the wheel, a small flame illuminated the tip of the lighter. Loki watched to see what John would do next.

John brought the hand that wasn't holding the lighter up close to the flame and with a little bit of concentration, the small flame slid to his open hand and away from the lighter. Loki raised his brow. This kind of power wasn't something Loki hadn't encountered in his long lifetime. He had come across plenty of people and beings that had different powers over the years. Despite his displeasure at thinking of his brother Thor, Thor did in fact control thunder and lightning. But Loki did not expect this kind of power from humans. What other secrets did humanity hold? John continued to play with the fire in his hand, cradling it gently. "I can't create it," he clarified, his eyes floating to Loki. "I can only manipulate it," he said further. "But Vanessa on the other hand," he started, looking to Loki. "She can create it," he said. Loki furrowed his brow.

"She can control fire too," Loki stated more than asked. John found a smile slide over his mouth.

"Among other things,” John explained. He looked over to Loki. "I used to hate her growing up," he started. Loki found himself furrowing his eyebrow further, his attention peaked once more. John met eyes with him, but he quickly went back to focusing on the flame dancing in his hand. "As a younger mutant I was pretty competitive and I got jealous easily," he explained. Loki nodded slightly, able to identify with that statement. He spent many a year jealous of his elder brother Thor. "She had so much more power than I did, and I desperately wanted to reach the same level," John continued, dragging Loki away from his thoughts. "I used to push myself to exhaustion to get myself up to the level she was. I wanted to beat her in the worst way," John went on, as if lost in his own memories. He focused on the flame a moment more. "And no matter what I did or how hard I worked, it was never enough. She'd always win," John said. He let the flame snake in between his fingers, once again changing its color. Loki felt a slight bit of heat emanating from it. "But ultimately, I figured something out," John said. He opened his palm and allowed the flame to gather there, serenely burning as if John were holding a candle.

"Which was?" Loki asked, genuinely curious.

"That power comes at a price," John said, closing his hand and extinguishing the flame, a small bit of smoke floating away with the slight breeze. He looked over to Loki. "Vanessa is an incredibly powerful mutant," he started to explain. "She isn't _the_ most powerful, but she's up there," he explained further. His expression was serious, and caused Loki to pay extra attention. "And little did I know, but she struggled with her power everyday," he said, his brow furrowing slightly at the memory. He looked back out to the flowing water. "She hid it well," he started. He put his hands back in his pockets. "But most of the time it was a struggle," he said, his eyes flitting to Loki briefly. Loki maintained his attention. John slightly shrugged. "It's not uncommon for mutants to have difficulty adjusting to their power. But some have it harder than others," he explained. John found himself looking back toward the fire behind him, where Vanessa still sat, talking with her fellow teammates. John smiled briefly, as if reminded of his history with her. He looked back to Loki. "She seems to have adjusted well enough by now. If not, she's hiding it well," he commented. Loki found his eyes drifting in her direction as well, but then went back to John. John continued to watch Vanessa, as if deep in thought, and Loki almost wondered if John would continue. He wanted to push John to reveal more, but decided to exercise his patience and wait until John was comfortable enough to go on. "Vanessa has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders," he started seriously. He furrowed his brow and his eyes went back to Loki. "Vanessa's power enables her to manipulate and sense the elements and atmospheres of the Earth," John finally began to explain, answering Loki's question. "Earth, Fire, Air, Water," John listed. “Those kinds of things.”

Loki's eyes drifted to the side, as if processing what John had just told him.

"It's a huge amount of power," John said, his eyes on Vanessa. His brow remained furrowed. "I've seen it in action," John said. He raised his brow. "And I've been the recipient of some of it," he said, a small smile once again gracing his face. Loki didn't know why he found himself smiling as well, but perhaps it was because of the previous night, when Adam had also fallen victim to Vanessa's might. John shook his head. "I don't understand all of it, but I do know that Vanessa has a lot to contend with given her mutation," John said. He continued to maintain his gaze upon her. "She'd be better at explaining it than I can," John clarified. Loki nodded, understanding where John was coming from. "But," John started again, sighing slightly. He looked to Loki next to him. "If there's anyone who can handle it, it's her," John verified, a proud smile on his face. Loki looked to John. He leaned forward on his heels and his gaze went back out to the water.

"I haven't known Vanessa for very long, but somehow I think you're right," Loki found himself responding, a small smile on his face. He looked back to Vanessa, as she leaned back in her folding chair, a skeptical look on her face, apparently in conversation with Adam. A small laugh escaped Loki, only knowing any conversation with Adam provided some kind of controversy or skepticism.

Loki eyed John briefly, as if trying to figure him out further. He turned back to face the water, as it elegantly drifted past them, the last bits of purple light from the sun reflecting in the flowing water. He wasn't sure how he felt about the conversation, and couldn't help but allow a drape of melancholy about him. He was glad for the information about Vanessa, but all the talk about these mutants and their power made him miss his own power. He wasn't sure if these mutants knew what it was to lose the power surging through their veins from birth, but Loki could feel the disadvantage he had without his own. It made him feel naked and vulnerable. He was lucky he hadn't encountered anything yet which would warrant him to defend himself. But now that he knew he was surrounded by people that did have great power, he felt his defenses heighten slightly.

Once again lost in thought, Loki nearly jumped when he felt an arm rest itself over his right shoulder and a body stand between himself and John.

"You boys enjoying your bonding time?" Vanessa asked, looking between them, having also evidently rested her other arm on John's shoulder. John looked over to Vanessa.

"Oh yeah," John replied, a smile on his face. "You're name came up," he said, his eyes making contact with Loki. Vanessa looked to Loki.

"So that's why my ears were burning," Vanessa smiled, playing along. "And here I thought you were playing a cruel trick on me," she said, looking back over to John. Vanessa then looked in front of her as if deep in thought. "I almost thought about throwing you into the water instead of Adam," she said, furrowing her brow and her mouth sliding to one side. She shook her head lightly. John smiled at her.

"Yeah," he said, looking away from her and then back again. "You haven't changed," he smiled.

"I hope that's a compliment," Vanessa countered.

"It is," John replied assuredly.

"Good," Vanessa said, raising her eyebrows, apparently satisfied with John's answer. "So, can I interest you in staying for a few more drinks?" she asked, an expectant look in her eye. John looked down to his watch, noticing the late hour. He furrowed his brow.

"Actually, I have to get going," he said, a regrettable expression overtaking his face. "I've got meetings in the morning. We're already preparing for the dry summer and fall ahead of us. Looks like we might have a fairly large wildfire season to contend with this year if the drought keeps up," John expanded. Vanessa stepped away from both of the men and they started to walk toward the fire.

"Aww, that's too bad. But fair enough," Vanessa commented.

"I couldn't tempt you to help us out with that, could I?" John asked, referring to Vanessa's abilities.

"Are you kidding? I've got my own fires to extinguish," she replied, scrunching up her eyebrows. "Between my men, their antics, and our research, I've got enough on my plate," she went on. As they walked, John nodded in acknowledgement, but he had a slightly deflated air about him. Vanessa noticed his demeanor. "But, perhaps I can find some time to donate my efforts if you need them," she smiled John's way. He lightly smiled back.

"We'd really appreciate it," he stated genuinely.

"Just make sure you have Storm's phone number in case I'm not available," she said, referring to one of their mutant mentors back at the institute. Loki raised a brow in reference to the name.

"Consider it done," John said, as the trio approached the fire pit.

"Hey, the new guys are back," Adam said, greeting them. A concerned look then overtook his face. "Hey, how come he's not flailing around in the water?" Adam asked, referencing Vanessa's plan against John. He laughed and leaned back in his chair, looking to the other men around him. His eyes went back to Vanessa. "Oh, I get it. He agreed to work the 'extra shift' didn't he?" he asked obnoxiously. Vanessa raised her eyebrows, her eyes half-lidded. She placed a hand on her hip.

"Not exactly," she answered. She allowed her gaze to linger upon him. "But let's see if you've got the stamina for it, shall we?" she asked, an evil smile finding its way onto her face. Adam's eyes went wide and he scrunched up his eyebrows, worry and confusion apparent on his face. As Adam began to contemplate where Vanessa was going with this, he barely got a chance to come to a conclusion, as a sudden enormous force catapulted him and his chair high into the air. The flames of the campfire danced wildly, as the burst of air caused a cloud of dust to rise where his chair had been. Some of the men jumped back, yelling in surprise at Vanessa's attack. Gabe even took a few steps back from the fire pit. Vanessa then looked calmly over in the direction of the river, the rest of the men watching Adam careen high above the trees and in the direction of the water. Yelling at the top of his lungs and landing with a large splash, Adam fell into the middle of the flowing water, his chair landing with a dull thud on the shore behind him. Loki looked at Vanessa, his eyes wide with surprise. Even he had taken a half step away from her.

"Vanessa," Jesse chided. "That wasn't very nice," he said, lowering his gaze at her. Vanessa watched as Adam was the one now flailing around in the water, trying to orient himself. She watched as he shouted words at her, beginning a breast stroke toward the shore.

"He did say he wanted to go swimming," Vanessa reminded. John laughed, unsurprised by Vanessa's antics.

"Somehow I doubt that was what he had in mind," Jesse responded, looking over in Adam's direction, sighing slightly as he watched his colleague stumble onto shore. Vanessa shrugged.

"Eh, he'll be fine," Vanessa replied, taking her gaze away from Adam and looking back to her boys. She noticed Loki's demeanor and raised a brow at him. More now than ever did he truly miss his power.

"Damn it Vanessa!" the group heard Adam yell as he stomped his way back to the campground. He stumbled slightly, as if still recovering from the shock of his journey. Despite Loki's surprise and caution, he couldn't help a smile from appearing on his face. He may have not personally tortured Adam the way he wanted to, given how Adam treated him sometimes. But it appeared as though Vanessa was doing it for him, and he found it vindicating. Loki looked to the others, and found he wasn't the only one with a smile on his face.

"Yes Adam?" Vanessa asked, as he made his way closer to the group standing and staring at him.

"What the _hell_ was that?" he yelled, obviously rattled, dripping wet.

"Hmm," Vanessa replied, her hand finding her chin, as she stared to the sky as though deep in thought. "I dunno," she said. She scrunched up her face. "Let's just call it PMS for now," she supplied. Adam got an intense look in his eye.

"Oh don't you even begin to bring your womanly problems into this," Adam responded, still shaking from shock. Some of the men laughed, finding Adam's situation quite entertaining. Adam caught Loki laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" he spat. Loki raised a brow, his smile unfaltering.

"You," he answered honestly.

"You think it's cute?" he responded, his voice raised as he started to move toward Loki.

"Adam," Vanessa said, some force behind her voice. Adam paused, his eyes going to Vanessa. "Would you care to go for another dip?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. Adam breathed heavily, his eyes going from her to Loki and back again. He forced himself to relax, but intensity still remained in his eyes. He clenched his jaw and moved his mouth, as though trying to control what might come out of it. Jesse stepped up behind Adam and put his hands on his shoulders.

"Come on Adam, let’s get you a towel," he suggested, pulling Adam in his direction and away from the group. Adam looked one more time at the group, but this time focused on Vanessa, knowing she was the true source of his embarrassment. He felt himself calming down with each step he took away from the group as he was escorted by Jesse, but he continued to keep his eye on Vanessa, as though for his own protection.

"I knew you hadn’t changed," he said, a smile on his face. Vanessa looked over to John.

"Why change when you're this awesome?" she asked confidently. John almost rolled his eyes, but stopped himself after thinking about what had just happened to Adam. Although, he figured he had a little more of a fighting chance against Vanessa than Adam. But he also figured he shouldn't tempt fate. He turned to Loki next to him and held out his hand.

"It was nice meeting you," he said, as Loki took his hand and firmly shook it.

"Likewise," Loki replied, nodding. John also shook hands with Gabe and Stephen to bid them goodnight. He looked in Jesse and Adam's direction, giving them a wave, bidding them goodbye. Jesse gave John a wave, as Adam only allowed his half-lidded eyes to briefly look in John's direction. It was going to have to pass for a good-bye if there ever was one.

"I'll walk you to your truck," Vanessa offered, extending her hand in the direction of John's parking spot, starting to walk in that direction. John put his hands in his pockets as they walked.

"It was great to see you again Vanessa," he said genuinely.

"You too John," Vanessa replied, as they made their way to his truck. They stopped at his driver’s side door. "You've truly come a long way," Vanessa smiled warmly to him. She really was proud of him.

"Well, you know, it's life," John said, shrugging a little. "It takes you where it wants to," he said, looking around to the nature around him and then back to Vanessa.

"Yeah," Vanessa agreed. "But you fought against that for a long time John, and it wasn't always easy," she reminded. John looked down and nodded.

"Yeah," he said, avoiding her eyes, and allowing them to fall on her team near the fire pit. For some reason he found himself focus on Loki standing and talking with Gabe at the edge of the fire. "But eventually, we all find our way," he said, his eyes still focused on Loki. "Even if we screw up a little," he finalized, looking back to Vanessa.

Vanessa let a small laugh escape her.

"I guess that's just part of the fun, huh?" she asked, looking up to him.

"Something like that," John replied. He had a knowing look in his eye and smiled briefly. He opened his arms and stepped toward Vanessa, giving her a goodbye hug.

"Don't become a stranger now," Vanessa chided, hugging him back.

"Don't you worry about that. I'm sure we'll be running into each other a lot with our work," John smiled down at her, holding onto her briefly.

"Most likely," Vanessa replied. "You just continue to keep us safe here in the park," she said, rooting him on.

"Will do,” John said, finally letting go of her. John grabbed his keys out of his pocket and opened his door.

"You take care Vanessa," he said, grabbing his steering wheel.

"You too John. Just give me a call if you need anything," she reminded him.

"I will," he nodded. "See you around," he finalized, hopping up into his truck. He gave a wave out his open window to the team at the fire pit. Vanessa heard them yell their goodbyes to John, as he turned on the ignition, and pulled out of his spot, only to roll down the now dark parkway. Vanessa watched his truck for a moment, her hands sliding into her back pockets of her jeans, and as his truck disappeared around the curve, she came walking back to the fire pit.

"Well he seemed nice," Gabe observed, as Vanessa made her way to the chair Loki had decided to chill in, standing behind him.

"You've never seen him angry," Vanessa responded, looking down at one of her nails.

"Yeah well, we know what happens when _you_ get pissed," Adam stated unhappily, as he slouched with a towel around his shoulders, close to the fire. Vanessa only smiled at Adam. She then looked down to Loki.

"You two seemed to hit it off," she said, poking Loki lightly in the shoulder. Loki looked to her hand and then up to her. He shrugged.

"Yes," he started. "Turns out we've been to some of the same places in our lives," Loki answered. He knew it was a vague response, but it certainly wasn't false.

"Yeah," Vanessa replied. She looked out to the nature around them. "Life sure can be funny sometimes," she said, understanding Loki's meaning. She could feel the air get thick with a sense of contemplation from herself and her team. They remained silent for a moment longer, when Vanessa decided to break the tension. "Like take Adam here for example," she said, gesturing to him. "Life's got to be a downright riot to this guy," she said, a devious smile dawning on her face. Adam allowed his eyes to slide up in her direction, as he sulked.

"Oh yeah," he said. "Hilarious," he went on, emphasizing his lack of enthusiasm.

"Well," Vanessa started, sure Adam would forgive her soon enough. "As funny as life is, we still have one more day of work ahead of us," she reminded them. "So I don't know about you guys, but I am going to turn in for the night," she said, stretching her arms above her head.

"Yeah," Gabe responded. "We probably won't be too far behind," he said. Vanessa eyed him.

" _You_ better not be," she said, pointing at him. Gabe rolled his eyes.

"I don't know Vanessa. I think I need night off," he played along. "Maybe to make amends you should give Adam the 'extra shift'," he suggested. Adam immediately perked up, his posture straightening as he turned in Vanessa's direction. Vanessa gave Gabe a disapproving look.

"Yeah, you know, that just might be the only way I'll forgive you Vanessa," Adam agreed, looking up to her. Her eyes met his.

"Adam," she started. The rest of the men looked on, curious to see what kind of funeral Vanessa was planning for Adam now. "If you can't handle that little stint I just pulled, then there's no way you'll survive the 'extra shift'," she responded, her hand on her hip.

"Hey, you know, you just caught me off guard. But if you gave me a little time to warm up and work into it," Adam started to suggest. He raised his eyebrows. Vanessa only lowered her eyes at him.

"Hmm," she said. “It is tempting,” she noted, raising her eyebrows suggestively. “But perhaps you should take the night to recover,” she suggested. Adam’s expression fell, but he felt it sufficed for now. "Well gentlemen," Vanessa started. "Just one more day left and then we are out of here," she said, and started to turn to walk toward her tent.

"So that's a no on the 'extra shift' thing?" Adam clarified, yelling in her direction, still pressing his luck. Despite his situation, he could certainly bounce back quickly enough. It was actually one of the qualities Vanessa appreciated about him - despite her treatment of him. This was a game she and he typically played as they had gotten to know each other, and despite the upper hand Vanessa held, Adam refused to give up, constantly pushing her and everyone else around him as much as he could get away with. But as he eagerly awaited Vanessa's response, he jumped when he thought he felt his chair slightly jerk by an otherwise unknown force. He grabbed the arms of his chair and looked wide-eyed in Vanessa's direction.

"I'll let you figure it out," she said, a devious smile on her face, as she then dipped inside her tent for the night.


	16. Ch. 16

The last and final day of analysis proved to be more of the same. Loki wasn't sure the work held the same luster it had when he first participated, but figuring he didn't have much other choice, he did his best. It did however, give him a good idea of what these scientists did and the reason they did it. He could at least appreciate their curiosity, and strangely found himself happy to appease it with them.

At the moment Loki found himself once again at the top of Roaring Mountain, but this time with Jesse. It was close to the end of their day as the afternoon sun had already begun falling to the horizon. They had made the effort to pack up their campsite in the morning, so they could more easily retreat back to the cabin after finishing their research. Loki looked to the expansive horizon, and then over to Jesse, who held his smartphone in his hand. Looking down at it, he then looked back to the sensor Loki had helped to plant the day before.

"Almost done with the calibration and then we should be ready to go," Jesse stated, looking back to his phone. Evidently Jesse had his phone linked with the same system Zordon was connected to. It allowed a mobile connection with Zordon's program, giving the geologists a way to view and access the readings from the park on their phones.

"Is everything working alright?" Loki asked, looking over to Jesse. He wasn't sure what Jesse's goal was, but he figured he should ask anyway.

"It appears that way," Jesse answered. "All the readings are consistent with our measurements, so I think it's running smoothly," he said, looking up to Loki, a small smile on his face. "So, job well done," Jesse congratulated, referencing Loki's role in planting the sensor. Loki couldn't help a matching smile from forming on his face.

"Thanks, but I merely helped dig the hole for it. Gabe was the one who got it up and running," he said, unable to take most of the credit.

"Every little bit helps," Jesse smiled warmly to Loki. Loki slightly nodded, still feeling as though his contribution to the whole thing was very minor. But he appreciated Jesse's acknowledgement. Jesse looked once more down at his phone to make sure everything was holding steady, and after he determined it was, he closed the app on his screen. He looked back to the sensor. "Well, I guess we'll just have to let the sensor do what it's meant to do," he said, shrugging a little. He looked around to the landscape, as though to take it in one last time. He looked to Loki. "Come on," he said. "It's getting close for us to go, and I think we all deserve some time to kickback and relax," he suggested, and jerked his head in the direction for Loki to follow him on down the mountain. Making their way down to meet the rest of the team, Jesse and Loki were greeted by Adam's voice hurling toward them.

"Trip and fall!" he yelled, then laughing, looking over to Vanessa, Stephen, and Gabe standing next to him. Vanessa's gaze drifted to Gabe, raising an eyebrow. As Adam laughed, he suddenly appeared to look as though a carpet had been ripped out from underneath him, falling backward to the ground.

"Damn it Vanessa!" he exclaimed, looking up to her as he tried to right himself. Vanessa responded by crossing her arms and stared down to him, a sly smile on her face. Approaching the rest, Loki had a satisfied smile upon his face.

"I _really_ like you," he said as he got closer. Vanessa raised her eyebrows at Loki once and nodded in thanks.

"You're welcome," she said. She then turned her attention upon Jesse. "Everything good?" she asked, referring to the sensor.

"Ship shape," he responded, nodding to affirm the successfully running sensor.

"Good," Vanessa responded. She looked to her teammates. "Well, it appears as though we are all done boys," she said, placing her hands on her hips. They looked to each other, happy with their work. "Mommy is very proud," Vanessa smiled smugly. "And keeping that in mind, it is time to head on home," she said, softening her smile, truly proud of her team. She knew she was hard on them, and definitely a jerk sometimes, but she did treasure their friendship and hard work. She looked down at Adam, who had decided to remain on the ground, still upset with Vanessa. Vanessa could have pushed him further, but she decided to let up. She extended her hand down to him.

"Come on," she said, motioning for him to stand up again. At first Adam ignored her, keeping his arms crossed. But after raising a brow and debating on whether or not he should trust her, he finally gave in and grasped her hand. Vanessa pulled him up.

"Forgive me?" she asked, adopting an innocently cute expression. Adam eyed her suspiciously.

"No," he responded. Vanessa merely shrugged.

"Fine. See if I sleep with you anytime soon," she replied, turning to walk toward her truck. She heard Adam's voice trail behind her.

"Wait, what? Sleep with me? Really? There was hope?" he stated surprised, a hopeful tone in his voice. Vanessa continued to walk on, ignoring him, a smug smile on her face. Gabe looked over to Adam as he and Loki walked with the rest of the group. Gabe shook his head.

"Dude, there was never any hope," Gabe stated. But Adam pointed at Gabe.

"Hey, there is _always_ hope," he said, his voice firm. Loki looked up to the sky, shaking his head. He looked to Adam briefly and then jogged ahead to meet Vanessa.

"Oh, riding with me again?" Vanessa asked, seeing Loki appear beside her. He looked to the other men.

"I trust you more than I trust them," Loki admitted, pointing with his thumb back at the other men filtering into their cars.

"Hmm," Vanessa said, opening her car door. Loki followed suit and got in the passenger side, closing the door. Vanessa looked over to him. "You _must_ trust me after seeing what I did to Adam last night," she said, a confident smile on her face. She and Loki locked eyes for a small moment, Loki smiling at her comment. She then turned the ignition and shifted gears, leading her team back out of Yellowstone Park.

After arriving back at the cabins and unpacking, Loki found himself out on the deck, leaning against the railing, watching the waning daylight. The rest of the team was busy inside, either helping with dinner or relaxing in the living room, watching the television. And despite the fact that Loki should have at least joined them in their unwinding, he strangely found himself wound up. Even though he was getting used to these people, his mind continued to focus on the latest developments he had encountered.

His mind went back to Vanessa and her supernatural abilities. He trusted her, but he didn't trust her. He could only contemplate what she was capable of, and part of him was curious - the other cautious. He couldn't even believe humans had these capabilities. Were those back on Asgard aware of this? He couldn't recollect it to his knowledge. But given what he now knew, he could see why Earth was becoming more and more of a formidable force to reckon with. It had definitely proven itself as much on his last visit. But there were other things bothering him as well. He kept seeing flashes in his mind of how this group of people regarded him. He couldn't help but allow his paranoia to rise to the surface, with flashes of Jesse staring at him, as though he knew who Loki was. Or the way Vanessa came to his rescue when he displayed his confusion over what mutants were. But then there was Gabe, Stephen, and Adam, who appeared none the wiser about him. For all they knew, Loki was just as average as they were. But it didn't change the fact at times, he felt on edge, and the need to keep his wits about him more than ever.

Keeping his eye on the darkening landscape below, Loki jumped when Vanessa appeared next to him, also leaning upon the railing.

"Oh woops," Vanessa said, raising her brow, exhibiting her surprise at his reaction to her appearance. Loki looked away from her and then back again, readjusting himself against the railing, trying to lower his heartbeat from his startlement.

"Sorry," he apologized, running his hand over his face. He couldn't believe he had allowed himself to become so distracted by his thoughts. So much for keeping his wits about him.

"No, it's alright," Vanessa responded. "Didn't mean to scare ya," she apologized, resting her hands on the railing next to him.

"No, it's fine. I should have noticed you," Loki explained, looking away from her once more and back out to the horizon. "I guess I was just lost in thought," he said, continuing to avert her gaze.

"Oh," Vanessa replied. She looked to the horizon, her eyes then going to Loki. "Anything I can help you with?" she asked, a curious air about her voice. Loki looked down, and then back to the landscape.

"No," he said calmly. His eyes found hers briefly. "It's just, something I have to work through," Loki explained, a small smile on his lips. He looked down once again and back out ahead of him.

"Oh," Vanessa responded curtly. She looked to the side, and then looked back to Loki, eyeing him suspiciously. Loki noticed her behavior, feeling her eyes upon him. He allowed his eyes to drift back to her half-lidded. She continued to stare at him. He raised a brow at her.

"Can I help you?" he asked, trying to figure out just what she was up to. Vanessa held her gaze upon him, and then looked away. She shrugged.

"No," she replied curtly once more. But she went straight back to eyeing him. Loki kept his eyebrow raised, and sighed, looking back to the horizon. He didn't know what she was up to, and quite frankly, he wasn't sure he even cared.

But Vanessa adjusted her feet below her, drumming her fingers on the railing.

"Although," she started, leaning closer to Loki, her eyes drifting upward as though deep in thought. Loki kept his eyes upon the landscape spanning ahead of him. "You do have to admit you are a little jumpy," Vanessa observed. Loki kept his gaze ahead of him, but his eyes darted briefly to Vanessa. She raised her eyebrows at him, making herself more comfortable, and resting her forearms on the railing. "Like, I dunno," she started, inhaling. She relaxed a little more, and looked to the setting sun. "Almost like you're expecting S.H.I.E.L.D. to show up," Vanessa stated, her eyes half-lidded, turning her head to Loki and giving him a knowing look. Loki felt his attention grabbed, and looked over to Vanessa. He could have acted surprised, but instead he found himself adopting a matching expression on his face, lowering his head slightly. He readjusted himself on the railing, leaning on one of his arms, turning slightly to face her, a sly smile on his face.

"You've known the entire time, haven't you?" he asked, as he eyed her now. At first Vanessa didn't answer. She calmly observed him, the slight breeze catching her hair. Inhaling she looked to the side, and then snapped her head in Loki's direction.

"That what," she started. "That you’re Loki, the guy that attacked New York City, who got his ass handed to him by the Avengers?" she asked, her eyebrow raised. Loki cocked an eyebrow at her. "That you're _that_ guy?" she asked more obnoxiously, pushing her luck with him. He maintained a stare that communicated she get on with it. She shrugged her shoulder, looking away from him. "Yeah, I've known," she finally answered. Loki leaned back on his arm, as if to digest what she was telling him.

"From the beginning," he stated.

"More or less," Vanessa answered, still not meeting his gaze. Loki slightly smiled.

"What gave it away?" he asked, even though he had a feeling he was well aware of the answer.

"Oh, I dunno," Vanessa started. She then looked up at him. "Perhaps the big bright tornado that dropped you off was a clue," she began to list. Loki couldn't help but find a small laugh escaping him. "And you know, when you attack a major city, killing hundreds of people, your face just might be plastered all over the news," she offered. She then furrowed her brow at him, looking at him pointedly. "You couldn't have attacked some podunk town?" she asked. Loki readjusted, matching Vanessa's position on the railing, resting his forearms upon it.

"I was trying to make a statement," he said, looking over to her, sighing.

"And take over the world, from what I understand," Vanessa stated incredulously. Loki rolled his eyes. He should have found himself getting angry at her and her badgering. He wasn't sure why he didn't find it infuriating. After a lifetime of others taking shots at him, he certainly had a large amount of pent up anger, and usually found himself burning up when anyone tried to humiliate him. But for some reason, looking back, and given how Vanessa was describing everything, he seemed to find the whole thing rather funny. And perhaps he was beginning to see the error of his ways – but he wasn't about to take it that far.

"I was merely offering Earth what it needed," Loki defended, a calm expression on his face.

"Oh, and what was that? You wanted to be king of the Earth, right?" Vanessa asked. She gestured over toward some of the men sitting in the living room watching television. They both looked inside, where their eyes fell upon Adam wrestling with Gabe for the television remote. As they watched Gabe and Adam struggle, with great effort Adam pulled the remote out of Gabe's hands, only to slam himself against the front of the couch on the floor, yelling in pain, Gabe laughing and pointing at Adam's misfortune. Vanessa looked up to Loki. "Are you _sure_ you wanted to be king of _that_?" she asked, one of her eyebrows highly cocked, and a pressing look in her eye. "Don't you think you kind of dodged a bullet on that one?"

Loki raised a brow and laughed, looking up to the sky. He turned toward the railing once more, resting himself upon it.

"I can't expect you to ever understand," he said, a smile steadfast on his face as he looked over to Vanessa, shaking his head.

"I can try," Vanessa said, both eyebrows raised as she cocked her head toward him. Loki maintained his smile. "I can't make any guarantees, but I'll give it my best shot," she offered. She shrugged, closing her eyes briefly, looking back out to the horizon. Loki only shook his head at her, a disbelieving expression on his face. But he furrowed his brow, as another thought crossed his mind.

"How do you know about S.H.I.E.L.D.?" he asked, well aware of the agency's covert operations.

"Please," Vanessa stated. She leaned over toward Loki. "Haven't I told you that some of my best friends are psychic?" she said smartly. Loki gave her a disapproving look. Vanessa raised her eyebrows at him, and then went back to leaning against the railing. "I may or may not have some connections with them. Or perhaps I should say some of my colleagues and mentors have connections with them," she clarified, giving him more of a straight answer. Loki nodded. He leaned against the railing, looking out to the horizon. So his suspicions were correct, and his caution was warranted. He looked down and then back ahead of him. He could only guess what his fate would be now he had this information.

"So, what does that mean for me?" he asked. The breeze caught his black hair, wafting passed his shoulder slightly. Vanessa looked over to him.

"I dunno," she answered. "What does it mean?" she asked, curious of his response. Loki sighed, lowering his gaze ahead of him.

"I'd assume it means my fate is sealed," he replied, sure she'd soon turn him in and have him carted away in chains. Vanessa kept her half-lidded eyes on him.

"Not necessarily," she responded calmly. She lifted her head, but kept her gaze upon him. Loki narrowed his eyes and briefly looked to her and back again.

"You're telling me I can trust you?" he asked, not truly convinced he could.

"I don't know if I'd go that far," Vanessa stated. She broke her gaze from him and met it once more. "If you haven't figured it out by now, I pretty much like to keep people around me guessing," she affirmed. Loki kept his eyes narrowed upon her. Vanessa could tell he was trying to get a gauge on her. "What do you think?" she asked.

Loki eyed her further, unsure of his response. But he let his eyes drift to the side, thinking upon his answer. He met her eyes once more.

"I think I do trust you," he said, going with his instinct. Vanessa gave him an intrigued glance, clearly wanting to hear further. "You don't want me to trust you. But you could have turned me in ages ago if you knew who I was all along. Yet you chose not to," Loki reasoned. "Instead, you chose to protect me," he paused, looking away from her and back again. "I have to deduce based off that decision, you must not find me much of a threat," Loki continued to reason. He looked down to his hands, and then back up to Vanessa, his head lowered. "But it does beg to question," he said, meeting her eyes once more. "Why do _you_ trust _me_?" he asked, a challenging lilt in his voice. He truly was curious of her answer, but Vanessa only met his gaze with a sultry one of her own.

"It's your eyes. I keep getting lost in them," she responded seductively. Loki gave her a disbelieving stare. He was not convinced, and seeing he expected more, Vanessa shrugged. She relaxed once again on the railing. "Well, let's be honest here. You're not very scary," she supplied, looking over to him.

"Even though all evidence against me points to the contrary," Loki reminded. "You said it yourself. I've killed hundreds of people," he clarified.

"Correction. Your 'army' killed hundreds of people. You just brought them here," Vanessa countered. She did make a point. But Loki wasn't finished.

"Yes, but they killed hundreds at my command," he argued. A small smile played on his lips. Once again, he could not help but enjoy this bit of banter between them. It was similar to the banter he had encountered when they first met out in the Yellowstone wilderness.

"And what a wonderful job you did," Vanessa stated, an excited tone in her voice. She crinkled her brow, and looked around her, as though on the hunt for something. Her eyes shot to Loki. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't appear to be enslaved and kneeling at your feet," she said, pointing at him. Loki maintained his devilish smile.

"Yet," he countered. He stared at her purposefully, in order to make her uncomfortable. But Vanessa met his eyes with a challenge, a sly smile on her face.

"Cute. You know if it's a sex thing I can do that," she stated, gesturing to him to accentuate her point. Loki laughed and looked to the side, shaking his head. He looked back to her. "But the whole 'I'm your King, I rule the world, you have to do as I command' thing isn't gonna work," Vanessa responded, defiant as ever.

"How would you know?" Loki asked, lowering his stare at her. "You haven't tried it yet," he stated, the challenging lilt maintained in his voice. Vanessa smiled mischievously, and eyed him. She moved to make herself comfortable against the railing once more.

"How about we cross that bridge if we get there," Vanessa replied, finally ending their little debate. They locked eyes, a strange understanding between them, as they both allowed the arguments to rest for the evening. After a few moments of silence, Loki looked down, breaking their bond.

"So, does everyone know?" Loki asked, looking back up to her.

"Pretty much. Everyone except for Adam. You know, screwing with him like usual," Vanessa replied. Loki smiled at the Adam comment, but looked at her as though he was expecting her to explain further. Vanessa shrugged. "They started mentioning to me you looked familiar. Jesse recognized you right off the bat. That's why I gave you the USGS hat – to protect your identity. I figured if somebody like Jesse or I could recognize you, chances were somebody else would. So I had a little talk with the rest of the team to keep things on the down low until the right time," Vanessa admitted.

"Why?" Loki asked, truly confounded as to why she would have any reason to conceal him. Vanessa shrugged once more, her eyes sliding over to him.

"I dunno," she started. "You looked like you could use the anonymity. Considering you gave me a fake name, I think I was right," she pointed out.

"But why would you think I even deserved that kind of protection? After everything I have done to the people of your planet. Why would you risk your safety and your freedom by protecting me? Surely your authorities would have you imprisoned for obstructing justice," Loki observed. It wasn't that he wasn't thankful for what she was doing for him, but he was curious of her motives. Most people would have turned him in, in a heartbeat. So what was she doing? But Vanessa eyed him.

"You think I'm stupid don't you?" she asked, lowering her gaze at him.

"Quite the contrary," Loki replied. Vanessa raised a brow at him, curious of a further explanation. Loki gestured to her. "Well, perhaps for allowing me in such close proximity to you – given my history. But even I have to admit that for humans," Loki said, pausing. He cocked his brow. "You and your team," he paused. "Are not that bad," he smiled. Vanessa squinted her eyes, looking to the side, trying to figure out if what Loki had just said was some form of a compliment. Her eyes found him again. She jerked her head up in the air.

"I'm a mutant," she said, her eyes trained on him. "Get it right," she corrected. Loki gave her an expression communicating slight exasperation and rolled his eyes.

"Of course," he nodded. "My apologies," he replied. But he cocked his head at her. "But that's another thing. Since when did humans develop supernatural ability like yours? I cannot recall being aware of humans with that kind of power, and I'm finding it utterly perplexing," Loki commented, attempting to change the subject. He was genuinely curious, but he could tell Vanessa was onto him.

"Hey, we're not here to talk about me," she responded. "We're talking about you buddy," she said, pointing her finger at him. Loki raised his eyebrows and shook his head, a small smile steadfast on his lips.

"What would you like to know?" he asked calmly, getting to the point. Vanessa leaned back on the railing, turning to face Loki.

"Well," Vanessa started. She looked down, and met his eyes once again. "Why are you here?" she asked, coming right out with it. "Again," she added.

"It's not to take over the world, if that's what you're wondering," Loki responded. He leaned more on the railing in front of him and looked up toward the sky, as if deep in thought. He inhaled the mountain air as though to clear his mind, and after absorbing its rich scent, he looked back down at his hands clasped in front of him. Vanessa waited patiently for his response. "I've been banished from Asgard," he said, cutting to the chase. He looked over to her, a serious look in his eye. "Stripped of my power, title, and status," he said, lowering his eyes at her. Vanessa furrowed her brow, as though to process what he was telling her. He wasn't sure why he was revealing his vulnerabilities to her. He could have played off being as powerful as he had on his last visit. But considering Vanessa appeared to be going out on a limb for him, he felt she deserved as much. "Oh, and of my immortality as well," he said, leaning slightly toward her. He cocked his head as a cynical smile appeared on his face. He scoffed slightly. Odin had taken everything from him, and Loki only hoped he was happy about it. Of course he wanted revenge and retribution, but that didn't appear to be in the cards right now. He looked back up to her. "Cut off from Asgard, left here to deal with the consequences of my actions," he said, his cynicism holding steadfast.

"Ouch," Vanessa responded, readjusting herself against the railing.

"Yep," Loki agreed, looking down and away from her.

"So, how's that going for you?" Vanessa asked, a pressing look on her face. Loki looked back up to her. He felt himself let out a small laugh.

"Honestly?" he asked. He looked away from her and back again. "Much better than I thought it would," he replied. "Thanks in part to you and your team," Loki acknowledged. It was truly was fortuitous he had landed in the hands of these people. He could have landed anywhere else on Earth, and the outcome would have been far different. He wasn't sure it was something he deserved, but he was thankful.

"Yeah well, leave it to us Earthlings to make intergalactic murdering maniacs feel more comfortable," Vanessa sarcastically remarked, smiling. Loki smiled back, laughing lightly.

"Well, it's far more comfortable than my last visit," Loki replied.

"Maybe if you just went about it in a different way," Vanessa suggested.

"Yes," Loki acknowledged. "I should use flowers, candy, and money next time I think," Loki smiled, winking slightly. Vanessa laughed.

"I'd vote for you," she replied smiling. Loki looked down at the deck floor beneath him, laughing lightly. He looked back up to Vanessa, sincerity on his face.

"Thank you," he said gratefully. "For all you've done," he continued. Vanessa only looked to him, a calm expression on her face. She nodded, acknowledging his sincerity. "It's far more than what I deserve," he said. "But I am grateful," Loki continued, looking in Vanessa's eyes.

Vanessa looked to him, and then looked down. She shrugged her shoulder.

"We all screw up," she offered. She looked back out to the setting sun, oranges purples and pinks now dominating the sky. "Some of us more than others," she went on, looking back to Loki. Loki calmly lowered his gaze to her. She looked at him serenely, as if communicating she could identify with him. His mind went back to their first conversation, remembering she had mentioned having been 'down that road' before. Vanessa looked at him calmly. "But eventually, we all find our way. Even if we stumble a bit.”

"Wise words," Loki pointed out.

“I think it was my horoscope today," Vanessa countered, a warm smile on her face. Loki met her with an equally warm smile.

“Of course,” nodding briefly. 

But despite Vanessa’s deflection, he did find a strangely comfortable feeling overtaking him. He wasn't sure if he was foolish or brave, putting his trust in this woman and her peers. But for the time being, he felt it was his best option. And he wasn't sure he found that altogether a bad thing. Sharing another moment between them, Loki calmly broke Vanessa's gaze and looked to the setting sun.

"So what now?" he asked, looking back to her. Vanessa sighed, looking out to the sun as well, its remaining light warming her face.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question?" she asked, her eyes sliding to him. Loki smiled. This woman was perceptive.

"Considering my choices haven't been the best as of late. I figure I should allow you to lead the way," Loki offered.

"A brave and wise choice my child," Vanessa replied, acting as Yoda to Loki's Luke Skywalker. Loki cocked his head to her.

"Watch it. I'm hundreds of years older than you," he noted. Vanessa looked him up and down.

"You look good for your age," she said, an impressed expression on her face. Loki smiled. She sighed, looking back toward the falling sun. "Well, I think the first order of business is to have a little talk with our boys inside," she said, smiling to Loki, a knowing expression falling upon her face. "Plus, Jesse's delicious stir-fry is calling my name," she added. Loki raised an eyebrow at her.

"And after that?" he asked.

"How about we not plan, and just do," Vanessa suggested. She wasn't necessarily a person with much of a plan. That typically worked in her favor.

Recognizing he was venturing from Vanessa's style, he relaxed his curiosity. "Fair enough," he reasoned. Perhaps it would be best to merely 'go with the flow' rather than fight the current. Vanessa jerked her head toward the cabins.

"Come on. Let's break the wonderful news to the boys, shall we?" she said, stepping away from the railing.

"Sounds like a plan," Loki responded. "A small one," he added, given Vanessa's small lectures about plans. Vanessa smiled. The two walked together toward the cabin doors, Loki observing her as they made their way across the deck. His life was still up in the air, but despite that, he felt a tremendous amount of respect building between him and this woman. No matter what direction his life was going, he felt this was as good of a direction as any. It certainly had to be better than where it had been heading. Reaching the doors, Loki stepped ahead of Vanessa, grabbing the handle and holding it open for her to enter. She eyed him suspiciously, but then smiled mischievously, entering the warmth inside, Loki in tow behind her.


	17. Ch. 17

The smell of oyster, soy sauce, and garlic hit them as they walked through the cabin doors from outside. Loki wasn't quite sure how Vanessa was going to bring him up in conversation, but he didn't have to wonder long.

"O.k. guys. Cat's out of the bag. He knows we know he's Loki," Vanessa announced, walking into the living room, making her way to the kitchen. Loki shot her a disapproving look, but he guessed he shouldn't have been surprised. Gabe looked up from the table he was helping to set, while Adam whipped around on the couch from the T.V. he was watching.

"Wait, what?" he asked, a confused look on his face. Stephen looked over to him and then to Vanessa and Loki standing close to the doorway.

"You told him?" Gabe asked, setting a plate down.

"Yep, he knows we know and all is right with the universe," Vanessa said, folding her arms and looking over to Gabe. She then looked to Loki and smiled at him, who gave her a smug smile of his own.

"Wait a minute, knows what?" Adam continued to ask, confusion still apparent on his face.

Vanessa was about to say something smart, but Gabe beat her to it.

"You really don't recognize him Adam?" he asked, standing up straighter at the table, gesturing to Loki.

"I was supposed to?" Adam asked. He looked to Loki, as though studying him. He scrunched up his face after looking him up and down. Loki crossed his arms, curious of Adam's assessment. "Oh wait!" he exclaimed, pointing to him. "Aren't you that Data guy from Star Trek?" he asked, a snickering smile on his face as he looked over to Stephen next to him. Stephen rolled his eyes and gave Adam a pointed stare. But Vanessa turned her head to Loki.

"Not quite, but close," Vanessa said, her eyes scanning Loki over. It wasn't that far off. She looked over to Adam and decided to walk over to him, sitting on the back of the couch, leaving Loki by the doorway. She put her hand on Adam's shoulder.

"Adam my friend, I'm afraid we've been holding out on you," Vanessa said, patting his shoulder. Adam crinkled his brow. "Like for starters, Logan here," she said, gesturing to Loki. "Isn't actually named Logan," she said. She looked over to Stephen. "Stephen, could you please tell the class what Logan's real name is?" she requested. Stephen gave her a questioning look, as if unsure if he should go through with it, but he then looked to Adam who maintained his confused expression. He sighed.

"It's Loki," Stephen replied, gathering some of his strength, feeling that Adam should have been aware of it from the start. Adam looked over to him and then back to Loki, confusion continuing to run rampant on his face.

"Loki," he said, looking down, the name not dawning on him. He knew he had heard that name before but couldn't place from where or what. Vanessa watched and waited, wondering when realization would finally dawn upon his face. "Loki," he repeated again, continuing to think. But as he thought, he snapped his head up, his eyes wide and locking onto Loki. "Loki," he stated, his voice heightened. He pointed toward him. "You're the guy that attacked New York City," he said, standing up, an intense look in his eye.

"And we thought he wouldn't figure it out," Vanessa smiled calmly over to the rest of her team. Jesse walked slowly into the living room and stood close to the table Gabe had been setting.

"You're the punk that thought he could take over the world," he said. Loki kept his expression calm and raised his eyebrows.

"I'm afraid I would be the very 'punk,'" Loki admitted, using Adam's vernacular. But a superior expression overtook Adam's face.

"Yeah, and then you got your ass kicked by the Avengers," he said, taking a few steps closer to Loki, a confident strut in his step. Suddenly the atmosphere in the room changed, the tension rising. Vanessa watched as Adam bravely strutted up to Loki, unafraid. Gabe looked to her, wondering if allowing this to unfold was the best of ideas. Reaching Loki, Adam looked in his eye, his intensity unwavering. "You know, a lot of people died that day," he said, truth ringing in his voice. Loki straightened himself, keeping his eyes on Adam. "Give me one good reason not to rip your head off for that," he threatened. Loki looked to Adam, his eyes then drifting to Vanessa. But before she could intervene, both Loki and Adam looked when Jesse was the one to speak.

"Because we haven't yet," he stated calmly, clearly trying to break the tension in the room. His eyes met Loki's.

"Oh yeah?" Adam asked, looking to Jesse and then back to Loki. "And why should we trust him?" he asked.

"We shouldn't," Vanessa answered calmly from the back of the couch. Loki looked over to her. "But I can tell you, he's not much of a threat," Vanessa clarified.

"And you think he's telling the truth," Adam stated, keeping his eye on Loki.

"I don't know if he's telling the truth," Vanessa admitted. Loki looked at her with a critical eye. He didn't feel betrayed. If anything, he was impressed. This woman was playing things smart. "But I do know, that for some reason, he appears to trust us," Vanessa continued, her eyes on Adam. She got up off the back of the couch and walked over to the two of them. "And I certainly think that's worth something," she said, looking between both Adam and Loki. "Don't you?"

Adam looked Loki up and down. He knew he had good reason to not trust this guy, and couldn't believe who Loki was hadn't dawned on him from the very beginning. And why was the rest of the team fine with Loki and his presence among them? If they knew about him, why hadn't they turned him over to the police? He had out rightly attacked the Earth, and lives were ruined at his hands. How could this be o.k.?

"Yeah, maybe," Adam responded, agreeing with Vanessa's statement. But his eyes narrowed at Loki. He looked around at his fellow teammates, his arms outstretched. "Am I the only one who has a problem with this guy? What's with the rest of you?" he asked, a clear question on his face. It was certainly valid. The other men looked around at each other, appearing to silently ask each other the same question. It wasn't like Adam's reaction didn't make sense. Was it right of them to accept this man in their midst?

"Are you kidding? We can't get rid of him," Vanessa responded dramatically, interrupting Adam's train of thought. "Who's going to be our lab gopher? You did say you needed lackey didn't you?" Vanessa pointed out.

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure I didn't ask for an egotistical psycho maniac as part of the criteria," Adam countered. Vanessa raised her brow.

"Well you know what they say," she started. "Beggars can't be choosers," she responded.

"Maybe not," Adam said, as he lowered his gaze again at Loki. "But what's to stop _me_ from turning him in?" he asked.

"Nothing," Vanessa answered honestly. Her eyes slid to Jesse standing at the edge of the conversation who only gave her a calm knowing look. "Except for us," she went on, lowering her gaze back to Adam. Adam looked at her, feeling the intensity in her gaze. He could not figure out why they were protecting this man. He was a criminal, and he was a killer. He looked at Vanessa, sensing her preparing for his next move. Even though Adam was clearly uncomfortable with allowing this Loki guy to stay with them, undetected by the authorities, he also knew Vanessa. Adam might have been famous for giving those around him a hard time, but it didn't make him an idiot – and neither was Vanessa. If Vanessa was willing to trust Loki, why shouldn't he? And if there was anyone able enough to handle anything this Loki could dish out, Adam knew it would be her. He looked between Loki and Vanessa one more time. "Plus," she started, grabbing Adam's attention once again. "We've got bigger things to worry about," Vanessa mentioned, looking to Adam, raising her eyebrows slightly. He looked at her, his eyes remaining narrowed. He didn't like admitting it, but she was right. He inhaled in order to calm himself down. His eyes travelled back to Loki.

"You're lucky you ran into us," Adam stated in a threatening manner. Loki stared at him.

"Very much so," he admitted, meeting Adam's eye. Despite the fact he could tell Adam was less than happy with his appearance in their midst, Loki did find himself surprised at Adam's reaction to him. If anything it meant that Adam wasn't as docile as Loki had originally thought. He knew Adam liked to push people's buttons, and Loki hardly expected to be welcomed with open arms after he’d landed here. But it was a reaction he didn't completely expect from him. If anything, it meant he would still have to remain on his toes and possibly expect more reactions like this from people in the future.

"Heh, yeah, imagine if he had landed in Captain America's backyard," Vanessa offered, placing an elbow on Loki's shoulder above her, attempting to break the tension in the room. She looked up to him. "Hey, is he as beautiful up close as I think he is?" she asked, an eyebrow raised. Loki looked down to her and raised an eyebrow of his own. She looked around to the other men in the room staring at her. "Hey, gotta find the future father of my children some how," she rationalized.

"Well how convenient it is that you've got a man here with the right connections," Adam stated, crossing his arms, looking begrudgingly to Loki.

"Trust me, those are connections I'm hoping will remain broken," Loki offered. The last thing he needed was for the Avengers to show up. He was less than ready to engage with them. The only Avenger that even knew of his predicament on Earth was Thor, and he doubted Thor would give the rest of his Avengers team a heads up. Although, he couldn't completely rule it out.

"You mean you're not here to get back at them?" Stephen asked, remaining at the couch. Loki looked over in his direction.

"Regrettably, no," he answered honestly.

"So what," Adam started, looking to the team standing around, and then back to Loki. "You're here to say you’re sorry?" Adam asked, an overconfident air in his voice. Loki allowed his eyes to slide to Adam.

"Hardly," he answered smoothly, confidence laced throughout his answer. He could tell he had hit a nerve with his last response, as Adam and even Gabe appeared to stiffen at his answer. But Vanessa appeared un-phased by it.

"Now, now boys," Vanessa started, surveying the men in the room. "Enough of the third degree," she said, a discerning look on her face. But Adam readjusted his stance, lifting his head up and keeping his eyes on Vanessa and Loki.

"We've got a right to figure this guy out," he noted, his arms still crossed. Vanessa looked over to him.

"True," she verified. She could agree they, and even she were bound to have tons of questions for Loki to answer. "However," she said, making eye contact with each of her team members. "I have a strong feeling we'll have plenty of opportunities to grill Loki in the future," she noted. Her eyes briefly slid up to meet Loki's. "As long as he's going to stick around, willing to cooperate, and be a good boy," she said, an expectant look on her face. Loki's eyebrow raised once more and turned into a curt nod.

"You have my word," Loki calmly smiled, lifting his right hand. Vanessa raised a brow, allowing a suspicious expression to overtake her face.

"Says the 'God of Mischief,'" she responded, an unconvinced tone in her voice. Loki allowed a small smile glide across his face. There truly was no fooling this woman. But as she eyed him, he noticed her narrow her eyes and stare up toward the ceiling, as though deep in thought. "Hey, speaking of Gods," she started. She tilted her head in his direction. "Do you know Jesus?" she asked. Loki furrowed his brow. He looked briefly to the side.

"Who?" he asked, truly perplexed.

"Hmm," Vanessa responded, making eye contact with him. "Guess that's a 'no,'" she determined. Jesse merely sighed and shook his head at her, where Gabe raised an eyebrow, his curiosity evidently peaked. She shrugged, and looked to the rest of the team. "Worth a shot," she said, shrugging once again. "Anyway," she continued, her eyes wide and taking her arm off Loki's shoulder. She clapped her hands together. "Jesse," she said, looking in his direction. He looked to her. "From the glorious and wonderful smells emanating from the kitchen, can I assume dinner is going to be ready soon?" she asked, another expectant look on her face.

"I was merely adding the final touches," he responded, a calm smile on his face.

"Wonderful," Vanessa responded graciously. She once again looked to Loki and the rest of her team. "How about we all give Jesse a hand with the last bit," she suggested. She knew questions lingered in everyone's minds about Loki. And they were bound to. But there was no sense in not allowing things to continue on like normal. The best way to allow things to calibrate to what they were was to move on and return back to the status quo. Picking up on Vanessa's suggestion, Jesse was the first to make a move and turn to go back into the kitchen and tend to the stir-fry on the stove. Gabe looked to Loki and Vanessa, then deciding to continue on with setting the table. Stephen slightly shrugged, as though to admit that normalcy was the better option, and he stood up from the couch and headed toward the kitchen. Loki looked to Vanessa, communicating he was to move on and help Jesse as well. Vanessa smiled slightly and allowed Loki to go, but then turned her attention upon Adam. He still had his eyes on Loki like a predator stalking its prey. As Vanessa approached Adam, she saw his eyes dart to her.

"Now, now," she said, putting a hand on her hip. "You don't really think I'd put us in any kind of danger, do you?" she asked, a devious smile on her face. Adam maintained his steely expression.

"Ha," he responded. "Maybe not the rest of the team," he started. He lowered his head to her. "But you are talking to the guy you catapulted into freezing water the other night," Adam pointed out.

"Oh come on," Vanessa responded. "That wasn't danger," she argued, a smile on her face. Adam raised his eyebrows, clearly feeling very different about the matter. "That was adventure," Vanessa clarified. She squinted her eyes and looked up. "With a hint of retribution and dash of humor," she admitted.

"Oh yeah," Adam said. "A real riot," he continued, but his eyes once again looked passed Vanessa and locked back onto Loki, who was now bringing serving dishes full of food onto the table. "You really aren't worried about this guy? He could kill us all in our sleep," Adam pointed out.

"Well then I suggest you sleep with your door locked tonight," Vanessa countered. Adam looked at her, a serious expression on his face.

"You know what I mean," he clarified. Vanessa sighed, looking back over to the men in the kitchen and then back to Adam.

"I do," Vanessa acknowledged. "But I also know what it's like to take a wrong turn and desperately wish I hadn't," Vanessa explained, sincerity laced throughout her voice. Adam lifted his head and kept his eyes narrowed on Loki.

"He doesn't appear as repentant as you seem to think he is," he observed.

"Trust me, he's already being punished for his mistakes," Vanessa responded, looking over to Loki. "Maybe not by our laws. But apparently by whatever the laws are of his people," Vanessa explained, looking back to Adam.

"And how do you know he's telling the truth? It could all be one big lie. He could be planning something," Adam pointed out, gesturing in Loki's direction. Loki continued to set items down on the table, but raised an eyebrow in Vanessa and Adam's direction.

"True. And if that's the case, we will deal with it then. But for now, I say we take a leap of faith and see where this is going. Maybe we'll learn something," Vanessa offered optimistically.

"I still don't like it," Adam replied, his eyes floating back in Loki's direction.

"Come on. We're scientists. We study things. We experiment. This could be interesting," Vanessa offered, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's one word for it," Adam countered, looking pointedly at her. Vanessa only smiled and slightly shook her head. She then took another step forward and wrapped her arms flirtatiously around Adam's neck.

"Oh, Adam. How can I ease your worried mind?" she asked, another devious glint in her eye. Adam kept his arms crossed, knowing better than to play into Vanessa's games. But he couldn't help to push his luck anyway. He raised his eyebrows.

"Naked in a bed would be nice," he suggested, a wry smile on his face.

"What, you and Loki? Well gee," she started, looking passed Adam, her eyebrows scrunched together. "I'm not quite sure he swings that way. But it would definitely help to clear up your trust issues with him," Vanessa stated, twisting his words.

"Very funny," Adam replied, less than enthused, but maintaining his smile. Vanessa lowered her gaze at him.

"Just trust and everything will be ok," Vanessa smiled reassuringly. Adam eyed her once more and then looked to the side.

"Yeah, I guess," he replied, attempting to relax.

"Just give him a chance. He's giving us one," she pointed out. Adam's eyes went to her once again. "And if he gives us any reason to doubt his intentions, I'll throw him into the volcano myself. Old Faithful will find itself mysteriously clogged with an extremely foreign Loki-shaped object," she smiled widely. Adam laughed, the imagery of Vanessa's description entertaining him greatly. Adam sighed.

"Fine," he replied, his eyes half-lidded. "But only because you promised him bodily harm should he put a toe out of line," Adam expanded.

"Aww, I knew you'd see it my way," Vanessa smiled. She then leaned up and planted a small friendly kiss on Adam's cheek. "I mean it when I say you are the best," she smiled playfully up at him.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, looking to the side, where he happened to notice both Loki and Gabe looking in their direction as they sat at the table, looks of curiosity on their faces.

"What are you guys staring at?" Adam asked across the room at them. Vanessa looked behind her to the men at the table.

"Just the show you guys are putting on for us," Jesse interjected, setting one last plate down. "You planning on coming to dinner any time soon?" he asked calmly.

Vanessa looked back up to Adam.

"What do ya say? Ready to get back into the swing of things?" Vanessa asked, squinting her eyes up at him. Adam looked down at Vanessa and then up to the group waiting for them at the table.

"Yeah, I guess so," he responded. Vanessa pulled away from him slightly, but allowed her hand to gently pat the side of his face.

"Good," she smiled warmly up at him, then letting go of him fully and turning to join the other men at the dinner table.

"Everything alright?" Jesse asked as they both found chairs and sat down.

"Oh yeah. Right as rain. But just be careful Loki," Vanessa said, seriousness in her voice. She looked at him intensely. He stared back at her, awaiting what he suspected was a stern warning. "Adam's got the hots for ya," she smiled deviously, as she grabbed her napkin and placed it on her lap. Loki raised an eyebrow and lightly laughed.

"So _that's_ what that hostility toward me was all about," Loki responded, playing into Vanessa's antics. He looked over to Adam. "Just misguided love," he said, making eye contact with Adam.

"Yeah, you know, maybe I should show you just how misguided my love for you _really_ is," Adam offered, leaning forward in his chair toward Loki.

"Now, now you two," Vanessa said, looking between them. They continued to stare at one another, as though sizing each other up. "Get a room," Vanessa stated bluntly. Jesse, Gabe, and Stephen all smiled at her comment. Adam only readjusted in his seat, attempting to lower his blood pressure once again. Vanessa looked between them once more, and then leaning forward, grabbed her water glass. "Well," she said, lifting it in the air. "I'm going to propose a toast," she said. She looked around as the rest of the men also grabbed their own glasses in front of them. "I feel like I've been doing this a lot lately," she said, looking to Loki next to her. Loki lightly smiled. "Anyway," she said, once again looking around. "I wish to officially welcome Loki into our humble little family," she said, motioning her glass in his direction. He did the same toward her, nodding slightly. "May he find a nice little place in our cozy home, and," Vanessa said, looking over to Adam. "And may Adam not stab Loki through the heart with a steak knife in the middle of the night," she said, lowering her eyes to him.

"Hey," Adam snapped. "That goes double for him," he said, pointing with his glass.

"I mean it. I really don't want to have to clean up blood stains tomorrow morning. It's such a pain," Vanessa said, keeping her eyes on Adam.

"Wait a minute. You've had to before?" Adam asked, a perplexed look on his face. But Vanessa lowered her gaze at him.

"Anyway," she said, taking a breath as Adam continued to stare at her. "I toast to new beginnings, second chances, and progress in whatever road life is taking us down," Vanessa smiled. She raised her glass as everyone leaned forward to clink their glasses. She looked around again at her motley crew. "Let's eat," she said, as they all set their glasses down and dug in to their steaming stir-fry.

"So you mean your parents just booted you from Asgard and left you powerless, so you could fend for yourself here on Earth?" Gabe asked as everyone stood around the kitchen. Vanessa was busy working on the dishes while Stephen helped to dry them. Dinner had gone smoothly enough, and Vanessa knew to expect questions of Loki from her team. Luckily enough, Loki appeared willing to cooperate.

"More or less," Loki responded as he leaned against the counter next to Vanessa.

"I like your parents already," Adam snickered, on the other side of the sink from Vanessa and Stephen. Loki gave Adam a threatening glare, clearly not appreciating his comment.

"Be nice," Vanessa directed at Adam, an irritated expression on her face.

"But," Gabe started again. "Isn't that what happened to Thor?" he asked. Since the events of New York, quite a lot of media had decided to research the Avengers and who they were. Snippets of Thor's appearance on Earth with Jane Foster had leaked – and given that Jane was part of the scientific community, news had spread throughout that realm especially. Loki looked over to him at the mention of his brother's name.

"Yes," he replied, a small amount of venom seeping throughout his answer. He was still angry he had received the same punishment as his brother. He knew it was childish, but he couldn't help it. He would always have to measure up to Thor. Vanessa looked over to Gabe raising her eyebrows.

"You might not want to mention the 'T' word. I think it makes him angry," Vanessa suggested. Loki looked down at her and furrowed his brow, but forced himself to relax. His expression softened.

"No, it's alright," he responded, sighing. He and Thor might be enemies and have their issues, but he knew he was going to have to come to terms with it at some point. "He's like a savior to you people or something, right?" Loki asked unenthusiastically, attempting to contain the distaste of the subject they were talking about at a minimum.

"Not really," Vanessa answered. Loki looked down to her. "That would be that Jesus guy I mentioned to you earlier," she supplied. She looked to the rest of her team standing around her and then back up to Loki. "Well, to some people anyway," she clarified. "But with the arrival of you guys on Earth, that might redefine things though," she said, looking up to Loki. Loki furrowed his brow, still unsure to what Vanessa was referring. She shrugged and continued making her way through the pots and pans.

"So, what are you planning on doing next? Are you hoping to get back to Asgard?" Jesse asked, curious. Loki looked to him.

"I don't really know," Loki responded honestly. "They obviously don't want me there," he supplied.

"Gee, I wonder why," Adam piped up. "And how nice of them to dump you on us," he continued, his eyes wide at Loki. Loki stiffened and made a slight movement in Adam's direction, but was stopped by Vanessa's voice.

"Adam," she said sternly. She gave him a piercing stare. "Go take out the garbage," she instructed. He glared at her and looked at Loki beyond her. After a few seconds of staring at Loki with resentment, he finally made a move to one of the cabinets underneath the counter and begrudgingly grabbed the plastic can, carting it in the direction of the garage. Vanessa watched him as he slammed the door behind him. She shook her head.

"Sorry about that," she apologized, her brow still furrowed in the direction of the garage. "I don't know what's up his butt, but I think somebody needs to kick it higher," she said, truly perplexed by his behavior. He was the only one who had obvious hostility toward Loki. Loki crossed his arms and sighed.

"It's alright. I've been met with a lot of hostility as of late. Actually, his behavior is more of what I expected when I first landed here. I knew my arrival would not be received with glad tidings," he said, also looking in the direction Adam had exited. "At least, not as many as I have received so far," he clarified. He looked down gratefully to Vanessa.

"Don't worry. I'll talk to him," Jesse offered calmly. "He just needs some time to process everything. He'll be fine in a few days," Jesse continued.

"Just watch your back until he calms down," Vanessa suggested to Loki. She looked around to the rest of the guys standing around keeping her company while she cleaned. "You guys don't need to hang around here. Go ahead and relax. Maybe if you do, Adam will calm down a little bit," she said. Stephen looked to her, a question in his face. "I can finish the dishes by myself," she said, answering the question for him. "I'll act like a proper woman for once and do the housework," she continued, raising her eyebrows. Stephen furrowed his brow, but nodded as she looked in the direction of the living room. "Go on, get out of here guys," she said, a smile on her face. "I got this," she reassured. The rest of the men decided to heed her word and began to head toward the living room, but Loki stayed behind.

"I can help you with the rest of this," he offered, moving to take the place Stephen had vacated.

"Oh no you don't. You go on and relax with the boys," Vanessa said, waving him away.

"I'd rather help," he said, taking a towel.

"No, no, I insist Loki. Go on ahead and watch some T.V. or something. I'll be fine," Vanessa argued. He gave her a look of protest, but she looked up at him, eyeing him as she had before. "I'd think you'd be used to people waiting on and cleaning up after you. Aren't you a prince or something?" she asked, leaning toward him.

Loki looked down at her. "Did you miss the part where I said I was banned and excommunicated from Asgard?" he asked, a knowing expression on his face. Vanessa didn't respond, and only raised her eyebrows at him, continuing with the dishes. "What else do you think you know about me?" he asked, truly curious.

"Not much," Vanessa responded, taking a dish out of the soapy water and placing it into the sink beside her. She looked up to the ceiling once again, deep in thought. "Let's see," she started. She tilted her head to him. "I know you're the brother of Thor, the apparent 'God of Mischief,' and in way too much of a hurry to be king of something. Considering, that, you know, you tried to take over the world because you were too impatient to wait for your turn on Asgard," she said, squinting her eyes up at him. "Otherwise," she paused. "I don't know nothin'," she said, smiling up at him. Loki eyed her, a sly smile on his face.

"Somehow I'm not completely convinced," he said. "But I'll take your word for it for now," he went on, moving to take a plate out of the sink to dry.

"Now you stop that. Get out of here and go bond with the boys," she said, batting him away from her. He looked to the living room, where the men already had a movie going.

"I doubt they are very eager to bond with me," Loki responded, looking back to Vanessa.

"Nonsense," Vanessa said, furrowing her brow at him. "Who wouldn't want to bond with you?" she asked, smiling expectantly. Loki looked down at her and narrowed his eyes playfully.

"Hmm," he started. "A few people come to mind," he answered, as people like his brother Thor and his Avengers friends flashed across his memory.

"Look, you've gotten along with them for this long, right? I think you'll be fine. And if Adam gives you any problems, it still stands from what I said before about clocking him if you need to," Vanessa reminded. "Now go on," she ushered once more. "I'll be along soon enough," she said, looking up to him. Loki stood for a moment staring down at her, a critical expression on his face. But Vanessa merely stared him down, waiting for him to protest one last time. Deciding he probably wasn't going to win this one against her, he calmed his expression and slightly nodded, turning to begin to take some steps toward the couches of the living room.

As he crossed the kitchen, the door to the garage opened and Adam saw Loki about to cross his path. Loki paused, unsure of what Adam might do, as Adam stood holding onto the open door, apparently waiting for Loki's next move. They stood and stared at one another for a moment longer, when Loki merely clasped his hands together and looked to the ground. He then looked back up, nodding slightly as he pointed toward the living room.

"Just on my way to," he said, pointing once again in the direction of the living room. He nodded again. "Yeah," he said, and then continued on, giving Adam a wide berth and making his way to join the other men. Adam watched him as he found a place on the far end of the couch Jesse was sitting on, and turned his attention upon the television screen in front of them. Adam closed the door to the garage and walked across the kitchen to return the trash bin to its proper place.

"Oh hi," Vanessa greeted, all smiles. "How was the trash?" she asked, a sing-song in her voice.

Adam looked at her un-enthused. "Swell," he responded. He leaned against the counter, his arms crossed. Vanessa could practically feel the tension dripping from him.

"Oh would you lighten up," Vanessa barked at him. "We've already had this conversation. So why don't you just go and relax and enjoy the movie they're watching," Vanessa suggested once more. Adam looked to her, and then back to the men.

"What do they have on?" he asked, attempting to follow her directive.

"How should I know? It's probably Star Wars or something," Vanessa said, guessing. Adam scoffed.

"Oh, well, Loki should feel right at home then," he noted. Vanessa could have been angry at his comment, but instead met Adam with a deviant expression on her face.

"As he should. So why don't you go and make him even more comfortable," Vanessa suggested, giving him a threatening look. Adam looked down at her, an unimpressed expression on his face. But he knew better than to challenge Vanessa. He looked away from her and inhaled slightly. Perhaps she was right. He needed to lighten up and accept the circumstances around him. He was going to have to get used to Loki hanging around one way or another.

"Hey!" he yelled out of nowhere, making Vanessa jump slightly at his exclamation. "You guys want popcorn?" he yelled into the living room.

"Yeah! And bring some soda in too," Gabe answered from one of the couches.

"You got it," he answered, reaching into the cupboard behind him and grabbing a packet of microwaveable popcorn. He looked down to Vanessa, a satisfied smile on his face. "How's that for comfortable?" he asked smugly.

Vanessa lowered her gaze at him but allowed a calm smile to slide across her face.

"I think it's a good first step," she replied, nodding slightly. Adam only laughed cockily and ripping the plastic off the bag of popcorn, walked over to the microwave to heat it up.

Luke Skywalker had just hopped into his X-Wing Fighter to destroy the Death Star when Vanessa found herself starting awake. After sitting down with the boys after the dinner clean up, evidently she had fallen asleep during the movie, the events of the day catching up to her. She was disappointed she had allowed herself to miss so much of the movie, but she guessed she should have retreated over to her cabin earlier. She looked over to the rest of the men, as they remained transfixed by the images on the screen in front of them. Figures they would still be up like night owls. Vanessa looked over to Loki who was on the other side of Jesse down from her. He rested comfortably in his seat, his elbow on the arm rest and his head comfortably supported by his hand. He almost looked to have a bored expression on his face. Vanessa wasn't sure if he was enjoying the movie or not, but he appeared to look like he had other things on his mind. Her eyes moved to the movie on the screen and then back to him.

She could only wonder what was going through his mind. Vanessa guessed that Loki's life practically was Star Wars, whereas to humans, it was only science fiction. But to Loki, it was most likely the real deal. And to Vanessa that thought in and of itself was amazing. Right here and right now Vanessa had what could best be referred to as an alien watching television in her living room. Well, her friends living room anyway. She could only guess what his thoughts were about a film like Star Wars. Who knows? He might be inwardly scoffing at the human idea of interstellar warfare. Or perhaps he was impressed by it. Either way, she got the idea that perhaps she would have her chance to get her questions answered, given this man from outer space was in her midst.

Sensing he was being watched, Loki shifted his eyes over to Vanessa, making brief contact. Vanessa could have been embarrassed that he caught her staring at him, but instead she adopted a sly smile on her face. Loki raised an eyebrow at her, unsure of what she was trying to communicate. He looked away from her and then back, again perplexed by her behavior. But she maintained her gaze upon him, then elegantly stood up, stretching her arms in front of her. Loki's eyes followed her, and his weren't the only ones given her sudden movement in the otherwise still environment. She tilted her head toward Loki.

"Don't worry," she started, breaking through the action and dialogue of the movie. "I was merely studying you," she admitted openly. No sense in denying the obvious. Loki raised a his brow.

"You leaving?" Gabe asked, noticing Vanessa's movement.

"'Fraid so. Otherwise I'll be spending the night over here," Vanessa answered, stretching one more time.

"That's not a problem. You could sleep in my bed," Adam offered. He looked to Vanessa from his spot on the living room floor in front of the television. "Of course, you'd have to be naked and I'd be naked with you. But I promise, you'll sleep great," he commented smugly.

"As tempting as an offer as that might be," Vanessa responded, her hand under her chin. "I think I'll take my chances in my own bed," she said. She looked pointedly to Adam. "Alone," she finalized.

"Alright, but just know you're missing out on the best sex – I mean sleep, of your life," Adam reminded.

"I'll keep it in mind," Vanessa assured him as she began to make her way around the back of the couch. Passing behind Loki, she noticed him standing up as well.

"I'll escort you to your cabin," he offered. Vanessa scowled at him.

"You don't have to do that. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself," she responded looking over at him.

"I understand, but I'm only doing what is proper," Loki offered.

Vanessa placed her hand on the handle of the door.

"Yeah, because attacking the Earth was proper too," Vanessa fired back, clearly questioning his motives. Loki raised his eyebrow at her once more. Why must she always put up so much of a fight? He looked calmly to the side, and then took a small step toward her.

"I'm sorry, but must I insist," he said, clasping his hands together.

"Oh you Asgardians," Vanessa commented flirtatiously, flipping her hand at Loki. "So steadfast in your chivalry," she stated obnoxiously.

"Well it's obviously dead on your planet," Loki retorted, looking around the room, as the other men remained in their chairs, watching the spectacle between Loki and Vanessa unfold.

"Hey, I offered her a good time," Adam replied indignantly. Vanessa placed her hand on her hip, staring at Adam. Her eyes slid to Loki.

"You know, I think you're right Loki," Vanessa acknowledged. "And if you are kind enough to insist upon accompanying me to my cabin, then I'm afraid I must oblige," she responded, curtsying slightly and allowing her arm to gracefully extend to her side. Loki smiled mischievously at her clear mocking of his royal upbringing. He could have been insulted, but it merely registered as Vanessa pushing the envelope like he was getting to know she did.

"Well could you accompany her sooner rather than later? You're ruining the movie," Adam commented. Vanessa relaxed and smiled to Loki.

"Come on," she smiled, opening the door. She allowed Loki to exit before her and she followed him, stopping to lean into the cabin. "Goodnight boys," she said, closing the door as they responded with distracted versions of goodnight to her. Upon closing the door she looked to Loki.

"You didn't really have to escort me back to my cabin," Vanessa mentioned again as they started walking the short distance over.

"I know," Loki acknowledged. "But what sort of a gentleman would I be if I didn't?" he asked, smiling as they walked. Vanessa looked over at him.

"A normal one," she answered bluntly. Loki laughed lightly.

"Well, I'm afraid I'm very far from normal," Loki admitted, folding his hands behind his back.

"I hate to say I can agree with that," Vanessa commented. She squinted her eyes and leaned slightly toward Loki as they walked. "You'll fit into this little family just fine," she assured, nodding.

"Funny you should mention that actually," Loki said as they made their way closer to Vanessa's cabin doors.

"Oh?" Vanessa asked, an interested look in her eye. Taking a few more steps, they stopped at Vanessa's doors. Loki turned to her.

"I wanted to thank you," he said honestly. Vanessa looked to the side and then back to her.

"I thought you already did that," she said, referencing their conversation on the deck earlier.

"Well, I wanted to thank you again," he clarified. Vanessa lowered her gaze to him, wondering what he could possibly be thanking her for now. "I wanted to thank you for your toast earlier and for taking the time and effort to make me feel so welcome amongst you and your team," he went on. He meant it. Again, it was more than he deserved and expected. Vanessa only stared up at him, a small smile on her lips and her eyes narrowed.

"Well, don't thank me yet," Vanessa replied, looking to the side. Her eyes found the men's cabin. "You've still got to survive the night with those guys," Vanessa pointed out, her hand on her hip and her thumb pointing in the direction of the men's cabin. Loki laughed, acknowledging she wasn't wrong, looking away from her briefly.

"Very true," Loki admitted, looking back to Vanessa. Vanessa smiled back, lowering her gaze at him.

"Well thank you again for ever so kindly escorting me over here," she said, grabbing her key from her pocket and inserting it into the lock on the door.

"It was my pleasure," Loki responded, bowing ever so slightly. Vanessa gave him a discerning look.

"Oh come on. I'm not worth that," she practically scolded. But Loki maintained his wry smile. Vanessa turned the handle on her door, adopting a calm expression. "Good night Loki," she started. "And, good luck," she wished, giving him a knowing glance. "For I hope to see you in one piece by morning."

Loki nodded slightly. "I hope so too," he agreed. Vanessa only smiled back at him confidently.

"Goodnight Vanessa," he said, nodding again. Vanessa allowed her gaze to remain on him for a moment longer, as they once again shared a strangely comfortable bond between them. Nodding slightly, Vanessa then slid into her cabin, closing the door behind her, as Loki's silhouette turned gracefully and made its way back to the men's cabin to retreat for the night.


	18. Chapter 18

After making it through the night relatively intact, Loki found himself tagging along with Vanessa into downtown Obsidian Ridge. It was finally the weekend, and they had a couple of well deserved days off. Making the best of it, Vanessa decided to have Loki tag along to run a few errands, one of which was to meet up with the rest of the team, who were currently scoping out one of the local bars as a venue for their band to perform. The men knew they wouldn't get many opportunities for downtime, but to take a break from their world of science, and some of the stranger things they had come across as of late, their music and performing was the best outlet. They had a mainstay back in New York and figured they might as well make their mark here in Obsidian Ridge. Another late spring sun shone upon them, as Loki and Vanessa continued down into the main drag of the mountainside town.

"So I see you appear somewhat unscathed from last night," Vanessa noted, keeping an eye upon the road in front of them. Loki lightly smiled.

"For the most part," Loki replied, his eyes flitting to her and then back to the mountainous scenery passing them by. "Although, my morning coffee did taste a little stranger than normal," he mentioned. Vanessa raised an eyebrow in Loki's direction.

"Hmm," she replied, a small smile on her face. Sounded like some hazing was going on amongst her boys.

"Although I suspect I shouldn't have left it unattended," Loki reasoned, figuring someone had put something in it while he was away from it for a brief moment.

"Probably not," Vanessa agreed. "Just be sure to protect your cup from now on," she smirked over at him.

"Amongst other things," Loki responded a small matching smirk on his face, as Vanessa turned the wheel and pulled into the parking lot of The Four Feathers. Loki adjusted his USGS hat on his head, which Vanessa had suggested he wear if they were to go out in public. It wasn't what he preferred, but it was better than being recognized. He stepped out of Vanessa's truck and looked up to the large, luxurious but rustic looking building in front of them. The building had a theme to it that matched the mountains, its clear Native American influence apparent in the architecture. Loki noted the sweeping structure of the roof and could catch glimpses of a large canvas roof attached to the back of the building. Vanessa closed her door and began to walk into the bar as Loki followed behind her. Making her way up some stairs and through the double doors of the building, she found herself greeted by a large open bar, warm browns and tans meeting her eye. It was beautiful building, complete with a high ceiling and skylights which allowed the sun to light the bar even more naturally – and most likely provided a great atmosphere for the night scene. There was an open floor and stage upon first entering the building, flanked on each side with tables for patrons to sit and dine. Vanessa spotted the bar to their left and right, it flanking the entrance as she made her way further into the building. Taking in the building, her eyes fell upon Gabe who was speaking to a tall attractive man with dark hair and skin at the stage. The other men hung around Gabe and appeared to be listening to their conversation. Gabe's attention broke when the man he was speaking with turned toward Vanessa as she approached.

"Oh, Mr. Lightfeather, this is Dr. Vanessa Hughes. She's the head geologist of our team," Gabe smiled, gesturing to Vanessa. "Vanessa, this is Benjamin Lightfeather, one of the owners of The Four Feathers," Gabe explained. Benjamin smiled to Vanessa, offering his hand for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you," he said, shaking her hand. "Please, call me Ben." Vanessa shook his hand firmly.

"Vanessa," she said, then noticing his eyes going to Loki next to her. "Ben, this is Logan. He's an intern studying with us this year," she offered, looking briefly to Loki. Loki offered his hand in the same manner as Vanessa and shook Ben's.

"Nice to meet you," Loki greeted. His eyes drifted around the cavernous building. "Quite a place you've got here," he said, making conversation.

Ben offered a warm smile.

"Thank you," he said, letting go of Loki's hand.

"Yeah, this place is great," Gabe supplied, attempting to contain his excitement. "You need to take a tour of this place Vanessa. We're gonna turn out the best crowds here," Gabe expounded. Ben looked over to Vanessa.

"I can take you on a tour if you have the time," he offered.

"Sounds great," she answered. Ben smiled. He gestured to the large room they were in.

"Well, as you can see, this is our main atrium, complete with a stage, dance floor, and dining areas," he started. He then began to walk slowly away from the stage and to the left, making his way onto a carpeted area with more tables and chairs. "We offer a variety of services, including host to all kinds of events - from birthday parties to wedding receptions - but we are also open for regular business everyday. Obviously we offer a full bar," he said, gesturing to the bar Vanessa had spotted upon her first entrance. As they walked, the rest of the team tagged along with them. They had already taken a tour, but decided to accompany Vanessa and Loki anyway. "We have a full menu, with our own signature dishes and others more traditional. And if you follow me you'll see one of our best features," Ben suggested, as the group made their way to the left of the stage and through a corridor of tables. Ben then came to a set of French doors that opened up to the outside, and upon opening them revealed the sweeping structure of the canvas pavilion Loki had caught a glimpse of upon entering the restaurant. "And this is our outdoor stage, dance floor and bar, which we keep open for the Spring, Summer and Fall. Again, we can host most kinds of events," he said, clearly adopting his best selling face. He turned to face the group and gestured to the men standing behind them. "Your team seemed exceptionally excited about performing out here," he smiled, nodding to them slightly.

"Well, it's certainly looks like a great place to have a blast," Vanessa commented, looking around at the cavernous pavilion. The canvas was a cream color, allowing the sun to filter in, as it too maintained a sweeping architecture like the building it was attached to. The stage was open and its background was the mountainous landscape directly behind the bar. Vanessa imagined the sunsets were probably amazing, watching a band playing full tilt and the mountains reflecting the colors of the setting sun. She could see why this could be such a popular spot for bands and patrons alike.

"So, what do you think?" Gabe asked excitedly, looking to Vanessa. Vanessa gave him an assured smile.

"I think you'll have the ladies throwing their panties at you in no time," she replied. Vanessa looked to Adam, who crossed his arms, a nostalgic expression on his face.

"I love groupies," he smiled smugly. Vanessa raised her eyebrow at him.

"Well, we've had a few prestigious acts come through here. And I'm sure you guys will draw quite a crowd if you're as good as you say you are," Ben commented, a satisfied smile upon his lips.

"Are you kidding? These guys are practically legend back home. You'll make a killing on these guys. I wouldn't accept anything less from my boys," she smiled to him. She looked to her men and smiled, and they couldn't help but feel some pride welling from within.

"Well, I trust your judgment Dr. Hughes. Plus, I've been in this business for over 15 years. I have a sixth sense about these things. And I can tell you guys will be fine," Ben offered positively.

"And if not, you can always kick us out," Jesse supplied, a calm smile on his face.

"Well, hopefully it won't come to that," Ben reassured. He took one more look around the pavilion and then looked to his watch. "I'm afraid I have to leave you to meet with some other clients, but it was a pleasure meeting you," he said, again reaching to shake Vanessa, Loki and Gabe's hands. "I'm sure we'll be in touch," he said, grasping Gabe's hand firmly.

"Absolutely. And I'll send you some more of our material so you can get a better idea of our sound," Gabe suggested.

"That would be great," Ben concurred. "Feel free to take a closer look at things if you like. And if you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to ask," he offered.

"Will do," Gabe smiled. Ben nodded once more and then bowed out, heading back to the French doors and into the building.

"Well, well," Vanessa stated, turning back to her boys. "Looks like you guys are in business," she said, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

"Something like that," Jesse responded, as he and Gabe walked toward the stage and hopped up onto it. Adam stared over at them, and then looked over to Loki. He adopted a smug grin.

"Nice hat," he commented, greeting him finally. Loki only stared at him, raising his brow unenthusiastically. He broke his gaze with Adam determining to ignore him for the moment and took another look around the pavilion, squinting in the bright sun.

"So, have they got anything like this back on - where are you from again? Asgard?" Vanessa asked, as Loki looked around.

Loki allowed his eyes to drift back to Vanessa.

"Well, we certainly have places to perform music, if that's what you mean. Stages and the like," Loki answered. Vanessa looked up at him.

"What about the music?" she asked, truly curious. Loki crossed his arms.

"I can't quite say it is as, raucous, as what I've heard on Earth so far," he responded, furrowing his brow slightly. "Granted, I haven't heard much more than what your team plays when they practice," he clarified. Vanessa took her eyes away from him, looking in the direction of the stage.

"Well, you'll be exposed to plenty of human music soon enough. I always have a playlist going of some kind while we work in the lab," Vanessa responded. Loki raised an eyebrow at her, acknowledging he knew he'd definitely have a chance to be exposed to plenty of aspects of human life, given his elongated stay on Earth.

"So what do you think of our stuff?" Adam asked, looking over to Loki. Loki looked in his direction.

"You mean of your music?" he asked.

"Yeah," Adam answered. Loki looked away briefly.

"Well," he started. "I think it's loud," he answered smartly, a sly smile on his face. Adam rolled his eyes.

"Well duh. It sounds better on a stage," Adam responded, as though Loki's assessment was more than obvious. "I mean, what do you think about the kind of music? Do you like it?" he asked. Vanessa gave a perplexed look to Adam, curious as to why he cared what Loki had to think or say about the music his band played. Loki raised his head slightly, allowing his lids to lower over his eyes, almost as though he was trying to get a gauge on Adam and his inquiries.

"I think it's something I'll have to get used to," he responded, once again, honesty and vagueness in his answer. But despite Loki's answer, Adam looked to Vanessa, furrowing his brow.

"What's that supposed to mean? Is that his way of saying he doesn't like our music?" he asked, gesturing at Loki. Loki slightly rolled his eyes and Vanessa gave Adam a stern look.

"How should I know? You think I speak Loki-code?" she asked, wondering why Adam was looking to her for all of the answers. "It's probably an Asgardian thing," she said, looking away from Adam and then making her way over to the stage, stopping to stare up to Jesse and Gabe who continued to assess it over. Adam met eyes with Loki who only raised an eyebrow at him. They then both found themselves watching Vanessa as she talked to Gabe and Jesse up on the stage.

"So what do you guys think? Is it up to your standards?" she asked. Jesse looked up from his kneeled position on the stage, as he investigated at the outlets for the guitars and amps. He turned his head toward Gabe.

"I think so," he said. "What do you think?" he asked in Gabe's direction.

"I think it'll be awesome. I like the indoor stage too," he responded, walking closer to Jesse. "We'll rock this thing inside and out," he smiled, an excited but assured air about him.

"Of that I have no doubt," Vanessa agreed. Adam, Loki and Stephen all appeared next to Vanessa. "Hey, speaking of doubts, did I hear that there has been some coffee tampering going on in your cabin?" Vanessa asked. At Vanessa's question Adam's head whipped in Loki's direction.

"You tattled?" he asked. Loki leaned back and looked over at Adam. "Come on man, what kind of sport are you?"

"It wasn't so much of a tattle as a notation," Loki corrected.

"Whatever," Adam responded. He crossed his arms once more and gave Loki a begrudging look. "You tattled." Vanessa had a smirk on her face and looked over to Adam.

"Do you need a spanking and a time out?" she asked. Adam raised his eyebrows.

"Yes please," he responded quickly, his eyes wide and an excited smile on his face. Vanessa smiled mischievously, and raised her eyebrows, slightly shaking her head. She really wasn't going to scold anyone – unless things got serious. She knew the guys were bound to put Loki through his paces if they were going to be ok with him staying with them. If anything, it was just something men did. Kind of like a rite of passage. But she also had a feeling that once Loki became more established, there might be a time when the tables would turn. And quite honestly, she was curious of what might happen when that time came. She assumed he wasn't referred to as the "God of Mischief" for nothing.

"So what are your plans for the rest of the day?" Jesse asked Vanessa from his kneeled position on the stage. Vanessa looked over to Loki.

"I dunno. I thought I'd take Loki and show him around the town a little bit. I need to do some grocery shopping. Maybe run over to the post office. You know, give him the whole 'human' experience," she said smiling, looking back up to Jesse.

"Fun, fun," Jesse replied.

"I know. Wait until I teach him how to clean," Vanessa went on. Both Jesse and Gabe smiled at her comment. She raised her eyebrows in Loki's direction in mock enthusiasm.

"It's a blast man," Adam said beyond Vanessa, a sarcastic expression on his face.

"I can hardly wait," Loki replied, raising his eyebrows, but with a small smile steadfast on his face. Even though he couldn't say he looked forward to a mortal and less than royal lifestyle, he found himself still smiling, mainly because he was lucky to be learning how to be human with these people. Even if he had to undergo the hazing. That was something he expected. He grew up with Thor as his older brother, who definitely put him through his paces as they had grown up together. It wasn't that Loki enjoyed the torture, but he knew it was coming no matter what he did. And he had definitely obtained some retribution against Thor over the years. He wasn't sure he'd get to that point with these people, but he wasn't afraid if that's what it came to. For now though, he could handle what they were dishing out.

"You guys need anything while we're out?" Vanessa offered.

Jesse looked to Gabe and the rest of the guys who shook their heads.

"Beer," Adam offered. Vanessa looked to him.

"Beer," she repeated, an unimpressed look on her face.

"Hey, you asked," Adam responded, justifying his answer.

"So I did," Vanessa answered, not seeing fault in Adam's response. "Anything else?" she asked, looking once again to her boys.

"Nah, I think we're fine. We'll probably do our own shopping tomorrow or something," Jesse calmly responded. "But thank you for the offer," Jesse said graciously.

"Not a problem," Vanessa replied. She looked over to Loki. "Come on. Time to get our 'human' on," Vanessa smiled over at him and started walking toward the exit of the pavilion, and onto a path that lead to the front of the bar. Loki only smiled at her response and inhaled, briefly looking up to the sky and then back down again.

"Have fun!" Adam called after them sarcastically as Loki walked to catch up with Vanessa. Meeting her at the truck, Vanessa was already hopping into the driver's side. Loki opened the door to the passenger side and hopped in as well.

"So, we're off to the market then?" Loki asked. Vanessa looked over at him, surprised. A smile slid across her face with a knowing look.

"I assume they must have _those_ on Asgard," Vanessa assessed.

"Well, we're not a civilization that's _completely_ backwards," Loki countered, a matching smirk on his face. Vanessa kept her eyes on him.

"I guess not," she noted, turning on the ignition and shifting the car into reverse. Shifting gears once more, she pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road, heading to the nearest grocery store.

Loki's head was spinning as he looked over the shelves full of colorful labels of packages and cans of food. He could certainly admit that markets existed in all types and kinds across the universe, but he had never seen anything quite like this. There was so much vibrancy to all of the product he was looking at. It was like a competition amongst the food items, and whichever had the prettiest package was the one you were to buy. If that was the goal, Loki had to admit it was a smart strategy. Vanessa made her way through what she had corrected him in calling a "grocery store" as she pushed a cart along the aisles. There were some items Loki could identify, such as fruits, vegetables and some meats. But most everything else was foreign to him. And it didn't help that he couldn't read the labels of anything. He looked around again at the moderately sized store. He couldn't say he was a fan of the atmosphere. There was something so sterile about the environment. He wasn't sure if it was the artificial lighting or the uniform nature of the items Vanessa was browsing through, but in his opinion, there was something to be desired. He definitely knew if he had succeeded as king of Earth, this would have been one thing on his list he would have changed. Despite that fact, he found an item that caught his eye and grabbed it from the shelf.

"What is this?" he asked, the blue plastic packaging crinkling in his hands.

"Oh, Oreos. Put them in the cart," Vanessa instructed. She looked over to Loki. "Trust me, you'll love them," she assured him. She looked up at him. "See, you've got good taste and you don't even know it," Vanessa commented, pausing. She pushed the cart a little further. "Literally," she finalized, after he placed the cookies into the cart and they pushed on. Loki almost rolled his eyes, but resisted the urge.

"So, are all of your markets like this?" Loki asked, following along with Vanessa. Vanessa continued pushing the cart.

"More or less," she answered as they made their way to the dairy aisle. "It can vary from town to town, but they all follow the same general format," she went on to explain.

"Ah," Loki simply answered, glancing once again around the building.

"Why?" Vanessa asked, as she leaned over toward a shelf of milk jugs and grabbed one to put it in her cart. "How do they do shop in Asgard?"

Loki looked over to her, raising his eyebrow. Vanessa stared back up to him, leaning toward him obnoxiously.

"Like if I were on Asgard, how would I be doing my grocery shopping right now?" she asked, squinting her eyes up to him. Loki's eye darted to the side and then met her gaze once again.

"Well," he started, as she took her gaze away from him and pushed the cart further down the aisle. "For starters, nothing would be as," he said, looking around once again. "Sterile," he decided to settle on, allowing his inner thoughts to spill out. Vanessa furrowed her brow and gave Loki a discerning look.

"You guys shop in dirty stores?" she asked, an incredulous expression on her face. "Sounds interesting," she commented, looking away from him, shaking her head slightly. Loki rolled his eyes.

"We are very cleanly, I assure you," Loki responded. He got the feeling Vanessa was only being smart with him, but he went on to explain anyway. "What I mean is, our markets are much smaller," he said, looking around again. "Homey, I guess you could say," he explained a little further.

"Oh jeeze," Vanessa stated, her eyes slightly widened. Loki looked to her, unsure of her remark. "Wait until you see a shopping mall," she said, looking up at him once again. Loki lightly smiled, only guessing what Vanessa was referring to must be even larger and even more sterile than where they already were.

"No, our markets are more intimate. More individualized," Loki went on.

"So your markets are more particular in what they sell? Like, meat sold at a meat market, or spices sold at a spice market?" Vanessa asked. Loki looked down at her.

"Something like that," he confirmed. "Although," Loki said, his eyes drifting up toward the ceiling. "We do have some open air markets. Especially if it revolves around a particular holiday," he said, thinking about his answers.

"Well, looks like Earth has more in common with Asgard than I thought," Vanessa commented, leaning over and grabbing some yogurt from a shelf. Loki gave her a confused look. What did he say that indicated the two worlds had something in common? Vanessa looked back over toward him.

"We have those too," Vanessa confirmed, shrugging a little. She looked up to the ceiling in the same way Loki had. "Although, it's not as common here in the states. But across the globe it is. Markets across the world are closer to what you described on Asgard. It's more industrialized nations and regions that have big grocery stores like what we're in now. Like I said, it depends on where you go," Vanessa explained. Loki kept his gaze upon Vanessa, unsure of what to make of this little bit of information. But he guessed he shouldn't have been surprised. More things to learn on his stay here on Earth.

"Interesting," he merely commented.

"I think so too," Vanessa replied back, pushing the cart on. "Come on. Can't forget to buy Adam his precious beer," she reminded unenthusiastically, making her way over to the section which sold alcohol, Loki following her lead.

Loki grabbed the jug of milk and placed it in the door of the refrigerator, after asking Vanessa that was where it went. They made it out of the grocery with no problem, and Vanessa was happy to have the extra hand for a change. Sometimes she would ask one of the men if they would like to come along with her, but sometimes she preferred to go shopping by herself. Given she was shopping only for herself she didn't have that much to buy, but she appreciated the extra hand anyway. Making his way back to the counter Loki reached into the bag and smiled as his hand curled around the curve of the neck of a wine bottle. He lifted the bottle up and held the bottom with his other hand, looking it over once more. Wine was something he and Asgard were very familiar with. Upon seeing wine on Earth, he figured Earth couldn't be _that_ bad if they had the right alcohol available.

"I can't imagine the wines you guys must have back on Asgard. Just the thought of alcohol from outer space," Vanessa commented smirking at him. "You guys must get insanely smashed," she said, resting her arm on the counter across from him. Loki smiled.

"Oh," Loki started, looking over to her. "You have no idea," he smirked back to her. Vanessa only smiled back, a knowing expression on her face. She nodded her head slightly and then went back to unpacking her groceries. As Loki helped her, he was also able to appreciate being in Vanessa's cabin. He had been in it a few times before, but spent most of the time in the men's cabin. Their cabin was nice, but it was evident men were occupying the space. Whether it was small messes left throughout or the yelling of somebody who was accusing the other of something, Loki was happy to be in a place which felt more peaceful. Although, he did have to admit that a small part of him did enjoy the rambunctious atmosphere that the men's cabin had to offer.

As he was handing Vanessa a carton of eggs, he nearly dropped it, Vanessa's side door suddenly slamming open without warning.

"Hey!" a booming voice yelled. "You get my beer?" Adam asked excitedly, walking into the cabin. Vanessa looked over to him, a less than enthused expression on her face.

"You know, I should chuck it over the balcony and make you chase after it for the way you just barged in," she commented.

"Yeah, yeah. Where is it?" Adam asked, ignoring her reprimand. Vanessa kept her brow furrowed.

"On the counter," she replied unenthusiastically, gesturing in its general direction.

"Aw yeah," Adam said, looking over the 24 pack. Deciding it was a good brand, he relaxed and rested his arm upon the case. He watched Loki as he helped Vanessa put away her groceries.

"So how was shopping? Did you get the whole 'human' experience?" Adam asked, directing the question to Loki and leaning forward to grab an apple in the bowl on Vanessa's counter. Loki looked over to Vanessa and then over to Adam.

"Oh," he started, looking up as if in thought. "It was almost as much fun as I had imagined it would be," Loki replied, looking back to Adam, a small smug smile upon his face.

"That good, huh?" Adam asked, noticing Loki's less than enthusiastic demeanor. His eyes shifted over to Vanessa. "Hey, if he enjoyed it that much, I say we nominate him to do our shopping from now on," he suggested. But Vanessa gave Adam a skeptical look.

"Well I don't know what you're telling me for. He lives in _your_ cabin," Vanessa reminded. Adam looked at Vanessa and then found his gaze falling upon Loki.

"What do ya say Loke? Want to take over the shopping duties?" Adam asked, squinting his eyes at him. But Loki lowered his eyelids and kept his eyes on Adam.

"Why do I think that wouldn't be the only duty I would be taking over?" Loki asked, sensing a push from Adam to take on more than just the grocery shopping.

"Oh come on," Adam replied, dramatically waving his arms toward Loki, as though to shoo Loki's suspicions away. "You seriously don't trust me? If anything _you're_ the one I shouldn't trust," Adam reminded, pointing at Loki. But Loki furrowed his brow, an annoyed expression on his face. Adam looked at Vanessa and then back to Loki. "I think I've got a right to make you our personal slave," Adam said, a smug smile upon his lips. "Especially considering the fact that you wanted to make us yours," Adam said, referencing Loki's plan for total domination. Adam kept his eyes on Loki, feeling confident in his argument.

"Although," Vanessa said, interrupting Adam and Loki, grabbing another item from the shopping bag. "Given that he was unsuccessful in said endeavor," she started, taking the box of pasta and putting in the cabinet. "What right do you have to make him _your_ personal slave?" Vanessa asked looking to Adam, a valid question asked. Adam furrowed his brow at Vanessa and rolled his eyes.

"Really?" he asked unenthusiastically. His eyes drifted between Loki and Vanessa. "You're taking his side?" he asked, gesturing to Loki.

"Nope," Vanessa responded, reaching into the bag of groceries once again. "Just arguing your point," she corrected, an annoyingly smug expression on her face. Loki found himself smiling at Vanessa. Adam maintained his unenthused expression.

"Yeah," Adam started looking at Vanessa. "Have I ever mentioned how annoying that is?" he asked. Loki looked down, but his smile was steadfast on his face.

"Well, as flattered as I am that you have considered me for such a task as your cabin's personal servant, I'm afraid I must decline," Loki stated graciously. However despite his gracious nature, he maintained a devilish look on his face. But Adam hit him with a discerning expression.

"What makes you think you have a choice?" Adam shot back.

"Well, unless you want me to bring home random items - especially when considering the fact I can only identify about three things in your markets," Loki returned, highlighting his unfamiliarity with Earthly foods and goods.

"Yeah," Vanessa said a smug look at Adam. "Good luck with that plan of yours," she said, looking over at Adam. But Adam looked at Loki and then back to Vanessa.

"Um, it’s called a cell phone with pictures,” Adam corrected, looking pointedly to Vanessa. “All he needs is a little training and work, and soon enough he'll be doing the grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning the house for all of us," Adam retorted, crossing his arms. His eyes made their way back to Loki, who had a less than enthused expression on his face. Vanessa could see Loki hardly appreciated being treated like less than the prince she assumed he had once been. She then looked back to Adam.

"Once again," she started, looking between Loki and Adam. "Good luck with that," she said, knowing that 'training' Loki appeared to be less than likely to happen.

Loki relaxed his expression and once again adopted a sly smile as he looked over to Vanessa, who clearly had different opinions on uses for him than Adam. He definitely appreciated her more respectful attitude toward him. However, a part of him did wonder what uses _she_ might have in store for him in the future. As he contemplated what those might be, Adam made movements to grab his case of beer and began to make his way back toward the deck.

"Well, see you guys later," he stated abruptly, apparently ending their conversation, turning to walk across the living room.

Vanessa turned toward him, a perturbed expression on her face.

"You’re welcome," she responded sarcastically, referring to the beer.

"Yeah, yeah," he replied waving her off, his back to her. He then grabbed the handle of the door and opened it, making his way out onto the deck and across the way to the other cabin. Vanessa looked after him, maintaining her discerning expression, then returning back to her groceries. As she continued putting away her kitchen, Loki kept his eyes on Adam, watching him intently, a sly smile upon his face. It was almost as though he was studying him. When Vanessa noticed he wasn't helping her she looked over to him, about to say something, but stopped when she saw him staring outside. Her eyes followed his gaze and fell upon Adam, who had set his new case of beer down onto the patio table underneath the umbrella.

Loki made himself a little more comfortable, leaning against the counter as he watched Adam, his sly smile steadfast upon his face. Vanessa's eyes went briefly over to Loki and then back out to the scene unfolding on the deck. They watched as Adam greeted Jesse, who was relaxing in a chair. Adam relaxed a little more, opening up the case of beer and grabbing a can. Loki and Vanessa continued to watch as he gestured to Jesse in conversation and laughed about something, the beer can in his hand. Vanessa raised her eyebrow and once again looked toward Loki.

"Wait for it," he merely replied, sensing her eyes on him. She kept her eyebrow raised and allowed her eyes to return back toward Adam. Adam leisurely popped the tab of the beer can, keeping his attention upon Jesse in their conversation. But as soon as he had popped the tab, its contents violently sprayed out of the can, landing on both himself and Jesse. Jesse quickly jumped out of his chair and away from Adam, who was holding the can away from himself in order to avoid a further mess on himself. The spray of beer had quickly subsided, decreasing to a foamy flow, making its way down his hand, dripping down onto the deck. A perturbed expression masked Adam's face as he transferred the can to his other hand, shaking the one covered in beer. Loki and Vanessa saw him say something to Jesse as Jesse clearly couldn't contain his laughter at Adam's misfortune.

Like Jesse, Vanessa found herself laughing lightly at the scenario which had unfolded in front of them. She looked over to Loki.

"So _that's_ what took you so long to grab the beer from the car," she said, a knowing expression on her face. Loki's eyes slid over to Vanessa.

"Retribution truly is so sweet," he replied, a smile on his face. "As my coffee was not this morning," he continued, referring to his tampered coffee from earlier in the day. He may not have had his powers to help him turn the wine into snakes or create multiples of himself, but he could certainly find other creative ways to cause the same amount of mayhem. She looked over to Loki, matching his sly expression.

"Well played," she said. Loki met her eyes, his smile growing wider at her compliment. She could tell he was definitely living up to his name and reputation. They kept their eyes locked upon each other, appreciating the mischievous nature between the both of them, when Vanessa broke it and looked back out toward Adam. Despite the fact she expected Adam to be infuriated by this little prank, she saw him staring in Loki's direction through the large windows of the cabin. Loki broke his gaze from Vanessa and also met eyes with Adam and Jesse, Jesse now also staring toward Vanessa's cabin. Apparently Adam concurred with Vanessa's sentiments of approval, adopting a smug smile upon his face, raising his beer can in Loki's direction, nodding his head. He then took a healthy swig from his now half empty can. Loki smiled and with a nod back, raised his hand in Adam's direction, acknowledging the prank war they had begun, and the part he was now playing in it.

Vanessa raised a brow in surprise and looked back over toward Loki.

"Wow," she said, genuinely surprised. "I think you might have _actually_ earned a small amount of respect from him," she noted. Loki looked over to Vanessa.

"Every little bit counts," he said, a smug expression on his face.

"I guess so," Vanessa replied, a surprised tone maintained in her voice. To see Adam give Loki any kind of leeway was truly impressive, given his current opinion of him, and Adam's own stubborn and ornery nature. But if it took pranks and jokes as a means to get Loki included in their crazy little family, then Vanessa concluded she could accept that. If anything, it was a good sign that they were bold enough to screw with him and he wasn't afraid to throw it right back at them. And she had a feeling this was something of which was Loki's specialty. She looked back over at him, meeting eyes with him once more. She lowered her eyes to him, her eyes half lidded. "This is going to be fun," she merely commented, a smile upon her face. Loki kept his eyes on hers and his expression calm.

"Indeed," he replied assuredly, a confident air about him. He smiled looking at Vanessa, as she slyly smiled back and then broke her gaze from his, returning to her awaiting groceries. Loki watched her for a moment longer and then looked down, raising a brow, deciding to continue helping her. Now to predict what Adam's next move was going to be and what other mischievous acts Loki could think up to counteract them. He wasn't sure what to expect, and no doubt Adam would recruit the rest of the men in this prank war of sorts, but he did agree with Vanessa that indeed, whatever their endeavor, it was definitely going to be fun. And if he could convince Vanessa to fight for his cause, he might actually win this one.


	19. Ch. 19

The middle of the week approached quickly enough as Loki, Vanessa and the team found themselves back at the lab analyzing the samples they had taken from Roaring Mountain. Everyone enjoyed their weekend off, where Loki was taught even more about the aspects of "being human." He was given his fair share of light housework, and Jesse was nice enough to teach Loki the basics of laundry and some of the cleaning. Loki couldn't say he had the complete hang of the washing machine, dryer, or vacuum cleaner yet, but Jesse helped him out by putting little colored sticky tabs by the settings Loki would need to know in order to use the machines. Once again, Loki's lack of familiarity with the written English language was getting in the way. But Loki was thankful to have people like Jesse to help him out. Of course, that didn't mean there weren't those who enjoyed making his life a little more difficult. Despite Jesse's helpful hints, and in conjunction with the prank war he and Adam had started, Loki would find some of the "helpful hints" redirected – and colored sticky tabs covering everything from his coffee mug, bathroom mirror and his toilet seat. But even _he_ found the ones covering the toilet funny.

He found himself wondering where more might turn up as he handed Gabe the evacuated flasks he had helped Vanessa to collect on Roaring Mountain. Loki was still restricted to minor tasks and grunt work in the lab, and given how unfamiliar he was with most of the instruments, he didn't have a problem with that. But he also appreciated the mindless assignments he was given, because he wasn't sure he had the energy to concentrate harder on anything else. Once again, Loki was missing out on sleep as a result of the guys' band practice extending late into the night. He found himself looking around the lab and observing how diligently everyone appeared to be working. He wasn't quite sure how these guys managed to function on only a few hours sleep, but he knew _he_ was struggling.

He lightly shook his head in an attempt to wake himself up a little more and observed Gabe as he placed the evacuated flasks in a glass hood, shutting the door. As Loki understood it, the hood was connected to a machine designed to identify and analyze the gases which had been trapped in the flasks, which it appeared to be in the process of as Gabe turned the valves on the flasks and allowed the machine to do what it did best. Loki may not have been completely Earth tech savvy but he figured whatever information the team compiled from Roaring Mountain would eventually feed directly into Zordon, giving them a better picture of the park. They were already receiving measurements from the sensor he and Gabe had planted. Loki knew enough about the basics of the park and its significance in this landscape, but he couldn't help find his mind wondering about it and questions persisting into his consciousness. There was something about this landscape that seemed so mysterious, and for reasons Loki did not completely understand, he found himself curious. Perhaps it was his natural curiosity – but perhaps it was something else.

He once again looked around at the rest of the team working away at their stations. He guessed that perhaps they were as curious about this place as he was - if not more so - given that their lives were devoted to studying this terrain. And perhaps it meant that in time, Loki would be able to uncover the secrets he felt this place possessed. Loki caught movement in his periphery as Gabe moved back over to the computer, which was receiving the composition of the gases of Roaring Mounting, and he swiftly followed him. He watched the screen as a bar graph overtook the display, illustrating the various emissions which had comprised the vent. Loki looked slightly over at Gabe.

"What does it say?" he asked. Gabe looked over to Loki, and then back to the screen.

"It says the gas emissions are fairly normal. At least for this kind of volcanic vent. Normal amounts of sulfur, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen," Gabe listed. Loki raised a brow and looked back over to Gabe.

"Am I supposed to understand any of that?" he asked, a wry smile on his face. Gabe looked to Loki, a slightly guilty expression on his face.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Forgot you don't know some of this stuff," Gabe said. Loki softened his gaze a little.

"It's alright," he replied. He looked back over to the display. "Actually, they may very well be things I _am_ familiar with. However, we just call them something different on Asgard," Loki explained. He couldn't say he studied the science of Geology or rocks back on Asgard, but he knew some of the basics of Asgardian geology. However, he had a feeling Asgardian geology might be just a _little_ different than that of Earth.

A small smile crept onto his face at the thought of the dramatic differences between Asgard and Earth as Loki heard the opening of the door across the lab and voices fill the room. He glanced behind him to see an unfamiliar guest entering the room in conversation with Vanessa. She carried a packet of paperwork in her hand as she entered the lab with the man. Not recognizing the man Vanessa was speaking with, Loki made a quick movement to grab his USGS hat, which had been lounging on the lab table next to the computer Gabe had been using. He swiftly slipped it onto his head and kept his gaze low.

"The data you're acquiring from the sensor is reading in beautifully," Dr. Lowens stated as he and Vanessa walked further into the room. Vanessa nodded slightly, an acknowledging smile on her face. "With more of those sensors going up across the park, we will have the most detailed and accurate view yet," he went on.

"That would be the plan," Vanessa conferred, referring to the team's plan to set up more sensors throughout the progression of the year. Vanessa and Dr. Lowens walked over toward Jesse, who maintained his work on analyzing rock samples at the electron microscope.

"Well I certainly look forward to what this enhancement in technology will mean for the research we're doing in the park. You and your team already have proven yourselves more than capable, and are acquiring some of the best data we've seen in decades. At this rate, we'll be discovering things we never even thought of before," Dr. Lowens stated, holding pride in this latest team of scientists investigating Yellowstone. Jesse turned as the two superior scientists approached him, an interested smile on his face.

"Dr. Lowens," he said, offering him a friendly greeting, and extending his hand toward the scientist. Dr. Lowens took Jesse's hand in a firm handshake.

"Dr. Chieftain," Dr. Lowens replied. Dr. Lowen's looked interestedly at Jesse and his work. "What are you working on?" he asked. Jesse glanced back to the computer monitor which magnified the samples he had under the microscope.

"Oh, studying more of the rhyolite samples from Roaring Mountain. I'm in the process of comparing them to other samples we've taken across the park," Jesse explained, a warm smile on his face.

"Very nice," Dr. Lowens complimented, clearly pleased with Jesse's response. Dr. Lowens patted Jesse on the back in a friendly manner, then looking around the rest of the lab at the other geologists busy with their studies at their stations.

"Running a tight but happy ship I see," he commented, looking over to Vanessa.

"You know me," Vanessa replied, placing her hand on her hip. "I expect nothing but the best from these knuckleheads," she reiterated. Jesse shot her a friendly smile her direction. Dr. Lowens only smiled, now used to her nature and dynamic with her team. He looked around the lab once more.

"And, I notice we've got a new crew member?" Dr. Lowens asked, raising a brow toward Vanessa. His eyes glanced back over toward Loki. Jesse's eyes flitted to Dr. Lowens and then to Vanessa.

"Oh yes," Vanessa replied calmly. "That's our new intern, Logan," Vanessa explained, a wide smile on her face. Loki lifted his head slightly at the mention of his "name," but acted as though he was maintaining his attention on Gabe's work. Dr. Lowens nodded slightly.

"How does he like working in Yellowstone?" he asked, keeping his eyes on Loki. Vanessa looked over to Loki and shrugged.

"I’m not sure yet. How about we ask him?" she answered bluntly. She strained her neck more in Loki's direction.

"Hey Logan! Come here," she called. Loki turned in her direction. "I've got somebody over here I'd like you to meet," she directed. Loki looked briefly over to Gabe, who had also turned at Vanessa's call. He had a slightly concerned look on his face, but shrugged as Loki looked back over to Vanessa and made his way over to her and Dr. Lowens.

As Loki approached, Dr. Lowens extended his hand toward him.

"Logan, I'd like you to meet the head scientist of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Dr. Harold Lowens," Vanessa introduced as Loki shook his hand.

"Logan Loffson," Loki offered, a small smile upon his face.

"Nice to meet you Logan," Dr. Lowens responded kindly.

"Likewise," Loki responded, taking his hand from Dr. Lowens' grip, his hands finding their way into the back pockets of his jeans. But he looked to Vanessa and gave her a perplexed expression. "Head scientist?" he asked, communicating his confusion in the scientific hierarchy. At first Vanessa gave him an equally perplexed stare, unsure of his question. But realization dawned on her and a small smile wound its way onto her face. She looked over to Dr. Lowens.

"He's so cute. He thought I was _your_ boss," she said, clarifying for both Loki and Dr. Lowens. She looked back over to Loki. "This gentleman is _my_ boss," she explained, gesturing elegantly, allowing her hand to point in Dr. Lowens direction. Loki looked over to him and then back to her, nodding slightly in understanding. His eyes found the floor as he began to wonder for what other reason he was summoned over here, when he felt himself startled by a strong arm wrapping itself roughly around the back of his shoulders, grasping him firmly.

"Of course, it's easy to see the confusion," Adam stated suddenly, appearing virtually from out of nowhere. "Vanessa scares all of us into submission," Adam commented, looking up to Dr. Lowens. He leaned in toward him. "Sometimes a few times a night," he smiled mischievously. Dr. Lowens only smiled, looking down slightly at the comment. "Right buddy?" Adam asked, looking over to Loki, jostling Loki in his arm and maintaining his firm grip.

Loki raised an unenthused eyebrow at Adam, deciding he'd allow his silence to speak for him. Vanessa also shot Adam a similar unenthused look.

"Adam," she started. He looked up, maintaining his obnoxious smile. "As true as that statement might be," she started, a sly smile upon her face. "Stop manhandling the new help," Vanessa stated bluntly. But Adam maintained his firm grip on Loki.

"Aw come on boss. I'm just trying to make him feel included. You know – part of the team," he said. Vanessa looked to the side and sighed. Loki remained calm, but a sarcastic expression overtook his face.

"Oh, I'm fairly certain I feel _more_ than included," he stated bluntly, shooting a wry smile to Adam. Adam continued to smile with a sick sort of pride.

"So you're getting along here nicely Logan?" Dr. Lowens asked, steering the conversation in a more appropriate direction. Loki looked over to the geologist.

"Overall, yes," he replied, as Adam jostled him in a brotherly manner once more. "With a few exceptions," he commented, looking to Adam. Jesse smiled behind Dr. Lowens and Vanessa. Dr. Lowens nodded in understanding.

"So what field of Geology are you studying?" Dr. Lowens asked, continuing the conversation. Loki's eyes snapped back to Dr. Lowens. What field? He looked to Vanessa, a concerned expression forming on his face.

"Um," he started, unsure of how to respond. He had no clue what fields of Geology even existed. He definitely hadn't thought that far ahead. Loki felt Dr. Lowens' shift in demeanor as he tried to search for a viable answer. Vanessa looked over to Jesse, a calm smile on her face.

"I think I remember Logan telling me he was studying Volcanology. I'm pretty sure that's what I read in his file," Vanessa piped up, as she crossed her arms. She looked back to Jesse. "Sound right to you?"

Jesse kept his calm smile steadfast on his face.

"I believe so," Jesse conferred, looking back to Vanessa and then meeting eyes with Loki. Loki's eyebrows remained slightly scrunched in worry.

"Am I right?" Vanessa asked, looking back in Loki's direction. Loki looked between Jesse, Vanessa, and Dr. Lowens. Volcanology? He had to deduce it meant the study of volcanoes. He wasn't certain, but it sounded logical to him. He forced himself to relax and decided to roll with it.

"Ah, yes, Volcanology," he replied, speaking slowly in order to accommodate the new word into his vocabulary. He wasn't sure how to explain his lag in answering Dr. Lowens, who he could tell was slightly perplexed by what had just happened. But Vanessa remained calm and smiled assuredly to Loki.

"Well then, Yellowstone is a perfect fit for you," Dr. Lowens commented, a friendly smile upon his face. Loki forced himself to relax a little more fully.

"It appears so, yes," he agreed, offering a small nod, but his eyes met Vanessa's, as he silently communicated his gratitude for once again coming to his rescue. She merely maintained her calm demeanor and lowered her head slightly.

"Yeah, he stood out the most brilliantly amongst all of the other applicants. I felt he definitely held the most potential," Vanessa explained, a proud smile directed Loki's way. She met eyes with him, a meaningful look in her eye. Loki saw the look on her face and immediately got the message. He couldn't help but feel pride well within him, but also a sense of pressure to hold up his end of the bargain and position within the team. And despite all Adam was doing to annoy him, Loki couldn't help but start to truly feel as though he was becoming part of something worth being a part of. Loki allowed a small proud smile cross his face and looked down, as if to communicate a sense of modesty regarding Vanessa's last comment.

Dr. Lowens looked to Vanessa and then back to Loki.

"Well you're definitely in good hands here Logan," Dr. Lowens started, looking over to Vanessa. "I'm sure you'll fulfill all of the promise Vanessa and her team appear to see in you," Dr. Lowens complimented. Loki looked back up and met eyes once again with Vanessa. She had a subtle but proud smile on her face.

"I hope so. Thank you sir," Loki replied gratefully. Adam looked back over to Loki.

"Yeah, we're starting to grow attached to this little weirdo," Adam commented, once again jostling the captive in his arm.

"Obviously," Vanessa commented, referring to Adam's apparent refusal to acknowledge Loki's personal bubble. "Adam, are you afraid you might miss Logan if you don't let him go? I mean, I know he's sexy and everything, but – professionalism would be nice," Vanessa pleaded, squinting her eyes at her colleague. Loki raised his eyebrow and smiled over at Adam, unable to help his amusement at Vanessa's comment. Adam furrowed his brow.

"Oh please, my sexiness _far_ overshadows his," Adam stated confidently. "Even I think Logan would agree with that." He looked back over to Loki. "Right buddy?"

Another unenthused expression overtook Loki's face.

"Guess again," he answered, a wry smile on his mouth. Vanessa, Dr. Lowens and Jesse all smiled.

"I don't know Adam. He looks pretty _godly_ to me," she commented slyly. Loki smiled widely at that comment. But Adam remained resilient.

"So you're telling me I'm sexier than a god? Wow, I wonder what's higher up than a god," Adam asked, looking up in thought.

"Not you," Vanessa answered bluntly. Once again Adam could not be shaken. He looked over to Loki.

"She's just too shy to tell me how she really feels. It's ok. I get it," he said, smiling back at her. Vanessa cocked her hip to the side, giving her colleague a pointed look. She found herself wondering just why Adam had shown up in the first place. Whatever the reason, he was definitely over staying his welcome, and it certainly wasn't the impression she wanted to make on Dr. Lowens. She had a feeling her superior already had a good idea of her team and their demeanor, but it didn't change the fact she needed to maintain at least a semi-professional atmosphere – especially on the clock.

"Is there anything else we can help you with Adam?" Vanessa asked, leaning toward him. "Other than the obvious?" she continued, gesturing in his general direction. Dr. Lowens maintained his smile, shifting his feet below him. Adam looked over to Loki and then back to her, his mouth contorting to the side, as if in thought.

"Nope," he replied succinctly, slapping Loki's shoulder with his hand, causing Loki to jump slightly. "Great to see you again Doc," Adam said, saluting him. He looked over to Loki. "Keep up the good work buddy," Adam finalized, slapping Loki on the back one last time, before retreating back to his station to continue his work. As Adam walked away, Vanessa, Loki and Dr. Lowens all looked in his direction.

"You know, sometimes I still can't believe that man has a Ph.D.," Vanessa commented, lightly shaking her head.

"Takes all kinds," Dr. Lowens responded, remaining positive. He turned back toward Vanessa, Loki and Jesse. "Well, it seems you're all settling in nicely. I'm very happy with the progress you've made," he reiterated.

"That's good to hear," Vanessa answered honestly. She didn't doubt her team much, knowing their capabilities well, but it was good to hear it from an outsider.

"Where are you headed to next?" he asked, regarding their next expedition. Vanessa looked over out one of the large windows which flanked the room.

"Not far actually," she started. "We're staying a little more local this time and will be studying Old Faithful and the geysers of the Upper Geyser Basin," Vanessa answered, referring to the geysers to the north of Old Faithful and their lab.

"Very nice," Dr. Lowens replied. He looked over to Loki. "You'll get a lot of good experience in that area of the park. It's got an extremely high concentration of hydrothermal features," he continued, happy there was a new student to educate about the park. "Assuming you haven't already made a trip to Yellowstone," Dr. Lowens went on, a slight question in his voice. Loki smiled knowingly as his eyes flitted over to Vanessa.

"I can assure you, this is all new to me," Loki replied honestly. Vanessa and Jesse both shared a smile.

"Well there's nothing wrong with that," Dr. Lowens responded a proud smile on his face. He extended his hand warmly and Loki took it, shaking it courteously. "It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope you enjoy your time here," Dr. Lowens wished.

"Thank you. I'm certain I will," Loki answered confidently with a small nod. His eyes once again briefly flitted to Jesse and Vanessa. Dr. Lowens released Loki's hand and he moved to shake hands with both Vanessa and Jesse.

"Thank you again doctors," he said.

"Pleasure was ours," Vanessa replied calmly.

"And good luck with your studies. I'm afraid I have to be going, but I'm sure I'll hear from you soon," he said.

"Most definitely," Vanessa answered with a nod.

"Bye gentlemen," Dr. Lowens called to the rest of the men in the large lab. They all waved in response and called with their own versions of good bye. He looked to Vanessa one last time. "Take care," he said.

"You too," she replied, as he turned to make his way out of the lab. Vanessa, Jesse and Loki watched him as he exited the room and the door closed behind him. Once the door closed, Jesse turned toward Vanessa.

"Well, that was a nice visit," he commented, expressing his satisfaction that his superior was pleased with their work.

"I didn't think it wasn't going to be," Vanessa stated, knowing she did not need to fear her superior. It was nice to have a boss who was unaffected by his power, and able to relate to all levels of the subordinates working below him. It was also nice to have such a supportive boss. It definitely made things run a lot smoother. However, one question did nag at Vanessa's consciousness regarding the meeting. "Although, I'm still trying to figure out just what Adam was up to," she said suspiciously.

"Yeah," Jesse replied. "Even I thought his appearance was a little strange," he said, furrowing his brow.

"At least you weren't the one who was repeatedly violated by him," Loki replied, referring to Adam's oddly strange grip on him earlier.

"She's been there done that Loki," Adam called across the lab. All three of them looked in his direction to see a sick smile on his face as he laughed. Stephen and Gabe were also laughing, looking in Vanessa's direction.

"Get back to work Ives," she called back, clearly not appreciating his comment and urging him to mind his own business. He continued to laugh, sticking his tongue out between his teeth and looking to his other laughing colleagues. Vanessa shook her head as Loki turned back to face her and Jesse. "Well, I don't know what he was up to, but I definitely know it was something," she commented.

"Somehow I think so too," Loki agreed. But as he, Vanessa and Jesse were about to go on with their business, they noticed that Adam, Gabe and Stephen were still laughing, the sound reverberating off of the windows of the lab. Vanessa turned to look back to them as they laughed, and caught them trying their best to keep busy and their eyes on their work. But she also noticed them giving glances in Loki's direction, and as a result, it only made them laugh harder. Loki also turned to figure out what was going on, which caused them to laugh more. Vanessa furrowed her brow.

"What is going -," she started, when something bright and fluorescent caught her eye. She looked in front of her to her left, and saw just what was causing the amusement. She couldn't help herself rolling her eyes, her hands finding their way to her hips, shaking her head. Picking up on Vanessa’s cues, Jesse to looked over to her also catching what she had seen and smiled, laughing lightly. He looked up toward the ceiling shaking his head. Loki looked back to Vanessa and Jesse, recognizing that something was definitely amiss.

"There was definitely a specific reason why Adam was over here," Jesse said, attempting to give Loki a clue as to what was happening. The majority of the team continued to laugh. Loki gave him a questioning look. Still puzzled, Loki again looked to Jesse for more clarification. Jesse merely gestured in the direction of Loki's left shoulder. Getting the message, Loki followed Jesse's eyes and looked to his shoulder, and at first saw nothing. But the persistent laughter of the men caused him to look harder, and he spotted the cause of everyone's amusement. His right arm crossed his body to grab his left shoulder as he attempted to get a better look at the top of his back - which was promptly covered in colorful fluorescent sticky tabs. Loki threw his head up toward the ceiling in disbelief, chiding himself that he should have had an inkling something was up as soon as Adam first wrapped him in his powerful bear hug.

Everyone in the lab laughed hard once realization had finally dawned on Loki, and despite Loki's embarrassment, he found himself smiling. He narrowed his eyes and looked over to Adam, then looking away, shaking his head. He looked back to Adam, and pointed.

"You've won this time," Loki admitted, as hard as it was to hear those words come out of his mouth. Adam continued to laugh, looking to Gabe and Stephen, then looking back to Loki.

"Reigning prank war king over here baby," he said, pointing to himself, nodding his head upward, a confident expression on his face.

"We'll see about that," Loki shot back, an equally confident and challenging smile on his face.

"Just remember Loki. You can still punch him," he heard Vanessa remind him from behind.

"Don't worry," Loki replied, keeping his gaze on Adam. "I'm saving it," Loki replied assuredly.

"Although, you do have to admit," Vanessa started once again. Loki looked back to her. "That was pretty good," she supplied, still laughing lightly. Loki raised a brow at her, but even he had to admit he was impressed - for it being such a simple prank. Loki softened slightly.

"I have to agree with you there," he smiled. Vanessa softened.

"Come on," she directed, waving him toward her. "Let me help you get those off you," she said, as she walked toward him, proceeding to take the tabs off his back.


	20. Ch. 20

The following day after Dr. Lowens' visit, Loki found himself outside accompanying the team as they trekked toward Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin for their newest expedition. He also found himself rolling his eyes.

"Man, I _wish_ Dr. Lowens had stuck around long enough to see how nicely I decorated Loki's back," Adam stated, carrying his equipment in the bright sun. Again, it was a nice clear day, and even a little on the cooler side. It didn't get particularly warm in Yellowstone, even in the summer time, due in part to its elevation. Yet the air was clear, allowing the sun to heat the land to the best of its ability.

"Maybe he did notice, but was just too polite to say anything," Vanessa suggested as they walked. "You know, like a normal adult," she continued, shooting a look back to Adam. But Adam pointed a finger toward Vanessa.

"Hey, you've said it yourself. Normal's overrated," he stated adamantly.

Vanessa looked up to the sky and shrugged. "So I have," she replied, unable to deny her own past musings.

"Plus, he should have seen how pretty I made Loki. Loke man, you make fluorescent sticky tabs look good," he said, looking to Loki ahead of him, as he walked next to Vanessa. Loki looked back to him, raising his eyebrow, and turning back to continue his journey with Vanessa and her team. "Oh man, that gives me the best idea. I'm gonna make a cape completely out of green sticky tabs. And a helmet with horns. Or better yet, a red cape, so then I could be Thor. Yeah, that would be sweet," Adam started rambling, but loud enough so Loki could hear. Loki looked to the side and exhaled, shaking his head slightly. He looked back to Adam.

"You know, you're only giving me more ammunition and better motivation to challenge your latest prank," he reminded, as they continued walking. But Adam adopted a challenging smirk.

"Bring it pretty boy," he fired back, defiant as ever. But Loki met him with an equally defiant stare.

"Don't you worry about that," he responded, a smirk on his face.

"Now children," Vanessa interrupted, looking back to Adam and Loki. Adam once again pointed at Loki.

"He started it," he stated, his eyes wide. Vanessa furrowed her brow, and deciding they would have to work things out for themselves, turned her attention back ahead of her.

"Well I don't care who started it. As long as it doesn't get in the way of our work here," she said, setting her equipment down on the outskirts of Old Faithful. The rest of the team did the same, looking to Vanessa and awaiting her instruction.

"No guarantees boss," Adam responded, as he allowed his eyes to fall upon Old Faithful, promptly in the middle of an eruption, a large crowd having formed and admiring the spectacle, the sun catching elegantly in the spray from the geyser. Loki and the rest of the team also shifted their gaze to the geyser, also fascinated by its grandeur.

"So, what's the plan?" Jesse asked, breaking Vanessa away from the natural feature and bringing everyone back to their mission. Vanessa looked back to Jesse.

"I can always count on you to keep us on track Jesse," she smiled, saluting him slightly.

Jesse nodded toward her, a proud smile on his face. The rest of the team tore themselves away from the geyser and looked to Vanessa for her guidance.

"Alright team," she said, clapping her hands together and rubbing them, as though to ready herself and them for the mission ahead. "Once again, we'll be splitting into pairs," she directed, then pointing to Gabe and Jesse. "You two," she started. "You guys can go farther north and up Firehole River, and study the geysers toward Riverside Geyser. Do the works, gas emissions, ground temperatures, and try to get a look at the plumbing underneath the ground if you can," Vanessa stated, referring to the complex natural underground plumbing which contributed to the formation and behavior of geysers. "Make any notation on anomalies you might find and make sure to be as detailed as possible," Vanessa instructed.

"Got it," Jesse nodded, looking over to Gabe. She looked over to Adam.

"I really should pair you up with Loki, just for kicks," she said, smirking over to him. He let out a small scoff at the idea. "But somehow I think you two together would be more explosive than the geysers around you," she continued, looking over to Loki. Loki only raised his eyebrows. "So, Adam," she said, giving him a stern look. "You are paired up with Stephen for the day," she said, giving a nod in Stephen's direction.

"Oh great," Adam commented, crossing his arms. "Welcome to the most boring expedition ever," he stated, shooting a glance toward Stephen. "No offense," he followed. An annoyed expression crossed Stephen's face.

"None taken, you egotistical prick," Stephen fired back, adjusting the backpack on his shoulder. Adam gave him a surprised glance, his eyebrows raised. Even Vanessa was surprised. Stephen was usually the quietest member, and truly a man of few words. But whenever he did have something to say, it typically meant it was something to listen to.

"Ouch," Vanessa commented, a small smile on her face. She raised an eyebrow to Loki. "Anyway," she continued, looking back to Adam and Stephen. "You two, stay farther south of Gabe and Jesse, and study the geysers and features around Grand Geyser. Follow the same instructions I gave to those two," she instructed, pointing to Gabe and Jesse.

"Anything you say, milady," Adam saluted her offhandedly, looking to Stephen, who for the moment was avoiding his partner. Laughing slightly at the varying dynamics of her team, Vanessa then looked to Loki.

"And last but not least, survey says you and I are partners today," she said brightly. Loki smiled, nodding slightly.

"Sounds good," he replied.

"Yeah, you _would_ say that," Adam piped up. He again pointed over to Loki. "Hey, if you make any moves on her, I'm gonna punch you in your pretty little face," he said protectively. Loki let his eyes slide over to Adam, unsurprised by his statement. Starting fires like he always did, as Loki was beginning to find. Loki was about to give Adam a response, but found himself beat to the punch by Vanessa.

"Adam, how will you even know if he does? You aren't even going to be within viewing distance of us," she noted, narrowing her eyes at him, leaning toward him slightly. "And," she started again. "What if I _want_ him to put moves on me?" she asked, defiantly. “That may be my M.O. for all you know.”

"And now _he_ knows," Jesse added, raising an eyebrow at her and Loki. Vanessa looked to Loki, giving him a mock guilty expression, who returned with a smirk. He knew Vanessa wasn't serious, and could tell she was just causing trouble like usual. But he held onto her gaze briefly, unsure of why he couldn't quite let go.

"Nah," Adam interrupted, breaking Loki away from Vanessa's stare. "She's just pairing herself up with him to make me jealous. I get it," he smirked, crossing his arms. He leaned toward Stephen next to him. "I love a woman who plays hard to get," he smiled, a satisfied look on his face. But Stephen shot him an un-amused expression, clearly not eager to indulge his colleague.

"Or maybe," Vanessa started. "I just want you to mind your own business and work without distraction," she summarized, continuing to lean in his direction. "Because, apparently pairing you up with me would be just too much," she jabbed, crossing her arms. He gave her an assured nod.

"You got that sweet cakes," he responded. But at that comment, Vanessa shot him a threatening stare, clearly unimpressed by his brashness. Catching her eye he could see she didn't quite appreciate his thoughts, and readjusted his stance. “Boss," he corrected himself, raising his eyebrows. He wasn't ashamed, but he certainly knew better than to push his superior too far.

"Alrighty then," she stated, looking again to her men. "Time to get a move on," she instructed, as the pairs of men grabbed their equipment and began hiking to their designated areas. Loki looked to Vanessa.

"Where are we going?" he asked, as Vanessa hadn't addressed where they were to study. Vanessa grabbed her backpack and another canvas bag filled with equipment.

" _We_ are going to be staying right here," she said, looking around to the nature surrounding Old Faithful. Loki gave her a perplexed look. She looked up to him. "We'll be staying in this general area, studying Old Faithful. We might venture across the river and up to Geyser Hill," Vanessa noted, looking across the river toward a collection of geysers. "With the team split up, we'll cover a lot more ground and get a lot more data," she explained. She looked over toward Old Faithful, which was still spouting high into the air. She squinted in the sun, looking up to the fountain. "We just need to wait for this current show to end, and then we'll be on our way," she stated, a smile crossing her face, as she looked to Loki.

"Lead the way boss," he smiled back, strangely finding himself excited for this next little adventure. An impressed expression formed on Vanessa's face, making eye contact with Loki. She smiled a proud yet commanding smile.

"See, I knew you held potential," she commented, winking to him, and then adjusting her backpack once more, began to head toward the flowing geyser, Loki following intently behind her.

___________________________________________________

Loki felt the steam as it warmed his skin, the most current eruption of Old Faithful having just died down. He and Vanessa only had to wait a few more minutes before it was safe to approach the geyser, the remnants of the water streaming down what could safely be called the cone of the geyser. Its cone certainly wasn't as impressive as others across the park, as it displayed a gentle sloping mound at its entrance. But at least that made it easier to study. As Loki understood it, the geyser erupted approximately every 90 minutes or so, which according to Vanessa was more than enough time to allow them to get the measurements they needed.

As they approached the dying geyser, Vanessa felt her senses sharpen, allowing the geysers and hydrothermal features to infiltrate her being. It was something she normally kept under control, when she had other things to focus on, but now it was opportune to allow herself to relax and let nature take over. She set her bags down, and in doing so, allowed herself to relax even further. She paused as she knelt down, acting as though to start opening one of the bags, but made sure to place her hand on the ground. She felt the warm water of the geyser upon her fingers, and immediately allowed her subconscious to identify the minerals concentrated in the water. She could sense the dissolved minerals, the calcium and the silica, among others, dissolved in the once superheated water. She allowed her senses to scan further, her mind's eye acting as her guide. She reached down once again to the inner workings of the geyser. It was hot, humid, and now empty, but water dripped from the inside walls of the caverns and conduits of the geyser. To the human eye, the rock below their feet would be dark and obscured from the sun, but to Vanessa, it was as bright as day, her mind's eye illuminating the features deep within the earth. Again she scanned deeper, but as she did so, she felt something pull her away, and a light pressure on her right shoulder. Exerting some control and filtering out the onslaught of information the park usually berated her with, she allowed herself to retreat back to the surface and to what had redirected her attention.

"Vanessa?" she heard Loki ask, as he gently grasped her shoulder. She blinked and refocused.

"Was I gone long?" she asked, looking up to him. He furrowed his brow, looking briefly to the side, and then back down to her.

"No," he said slowly, slightly confused. "You've been here the whole time," he paused. "Are you O.K.?" he asked, a timid nature about him. She looked to his hand on her shoulder.

"I’m fine," she responded. She stood up and allowed his hand to slide away from her. She shrugged. "I do that from time to time. Have to apologize. Sometimes I just let the environment take control for a bit," she said, referring to her mutation. Loki gave her a confused stare, unsure of what she was referring to. Noticing his expression Vanessa clarified. "You know, with my _talents_ ," she smiled, narrowing her eyes.

"Ah," Loki replied, recognition dawning on him.

"Alright," she said, continuing on like nothing had happened. "So we are going to be doing some of the same things the rest of the team is doing. But the first thing we need to do is get a picture of the plumbing down there," Vanessa said, pointing down toward the ground. "Grab that bag would you?" she asked, pointing to the canvas bag they had brought. Loki looked to the bag and made a quick movement to pick it up. "Come on, I'll show you what to do," she said, waving him toward the opening of the geyser. Vanessa walked a short distance up to the opening and kneeled down once again, peering inside. Darkness greeted her, but she knew it wouldn't be dark for long. As Loki appeared next to her, placing the bag down and standing over her, he stared down to the ground his hands on his hips. "So what we are going to do is get a look at the inside of this baby," she said, looking up to him, squinting in the sun. "If you would be so gracious to open that bag and take out the large black case inside," she asked sweetly.

Acknowledging her request Loki kneeled beside her, taking the zipper of the bag and opening it, grabbing onto a large plastic black case.

"Thank you," she responded succinctly, taking the case from him and opening the clasps on the front. Looking at it, she turned on a switch underneath a video screen which was set into the lid of the case, a long yellow coil of wire set into the bottom. Loki watched as the screen flashed to life, and it showed the dark but soft inside of the case. Vanessa grabbed the yellow and black end of the long coil, which held a cylindrical instrument and looked into it. Immediately the picture on the screen changed, revealing Vanessa's face on the other end. "This is a camera," she explained. She looked back up to Loki. "Do you have those back on Asgard?" she asked.

Loki looked to the instrument and then back to Vanessa.

"Something like that," he said, thinking back to the technologies of Asgard. They certainly had devices similar to this, but more advanced.

"Good," Vanessa responded. "Then you'll already have an idea of what we're doing," she commented, lowering her eyes to him. "So anyway, like I said, we need to get a picture of this thing from the inside out. And if you look, see that antennae there?" she said, pointing to a small plastic antennae on the side of the case. Loki's eyes briefly landed on the device. "That will feed directly into Zordon, and it will compile everything we gather here. Not only will this camera take pictures, but it's been outfitted to take temperatures, note humidity levels, and even sense dissolved minerals of the water in the air. Another special instrument on loan from the university," Vanessa smiled looking at the device in her hand. Loki tried to pay attention as good as possible. He wasn't losing interest, but it wasn't exactly something he had good knowledge of. Vanessa looked around as tourists walked the trails and boardwalks around them. She also noticed some watching her and Loki, evidently curious of what they were doing with the geyser. She hoped they wouldn't get any bright ideas, but given their packs said USGS in large white letters on them, they'd figure out quickly enough both Vanessa and Loki were on government business. Plus, Loki was donning his USGS hat, like usual.

Vanessa adjusted the scope they were to use to drop into the geyser vent as Loki watched with interest.

"You see, this area has actually been studied a lot. Since it's so visible to the public and out in the open, it's easy access for scientists. And we study these things for all kinds of reasons. Some study the hot springs to get clues about how life started in the universe," Vanessa started, as she looked in the general direction of one of the closer hot springs nearby. She then looked Loki up and down. "Somehow I'm not convinced you and your kind started out as microbes," she smiled. Loki gave her a small smile. "But, what do I know?" she asked. She looked back down to the probe in her hand, acquiring the end with the camera on it. "Anyway," she began again. "Even though this area has been under an enormous amount of scrutiny, it continues to hold onto its secrets, and there's a lot we still don't know," Vanessa continued to explain. She looked back up to Loki a confident smile on her face. "Which is why _we're_ here," she smiled widely. Loki maintained his attention, the light wind briefly catching his hair.

"So you think you'll be able to unlock this place?" Loki asked, finding himself genuinely intrigued.

"That's the plan," Vanessa answered, a note of a mission to accomplish in her voice. She leaned in a little closer toward Loki. "You see," she started. "Technically, _I_ don't have a problem uncovering the secrets this place holds," she said, looking out and briefly watching some of the tourists which happily walked down the wooden boardwalks, admiring the active geysers. "Given my particular _talents_ , if you will," Vanessa mentioned, referring to her mutation. Her eye lids lowered over her eyes and she looked toward Loki. Loki smiled. He still wasn't completely aware of all of Vanessa's capabilities, but he was certainly curious about them. And for some reason, he felt a sense of comfort, coming across a person with supernatural ability – as he had once had before his banishment. "However, unfortunately, the scientific community has yet to start accepting the word of a mutant as viable data," Vanessa explained, a small trace of resentment in her voice, masked by sarcasm. "So unfortunately we are still required to prove what is going on, via tests, measurements, and experiments," she continued, her hand gesturing as she rattled off the explanation. Loki gave her a questioning look.

"But you're a scientist. They won't listen to you based off of that alone?" he asked, almost already knowing the answer. He knew from experience what kind of aid his own power had been to him when he still had it. It truly was an extra sense, and by the same token, a tool he could use for whatever situation warranted it. Nearly everyone on Asgard had some sort of supernatural ability. Whether it was control of the heavens above to sensing the workings of the ground below - all kinds of power existed in different forms throughout Asgard and beyond. Why it was such a struggle for humans to understand and accept, Loki couldn't figure out. But perhaps that was because of Earth's lack of familiarity with it. And perhaps due to a lack of familiarity, fear was generated as a result. If only humans realized the potential and benefit of power. Loki lightly shook his head, allowing his thoughts to permeate to the surface. These humans truly didn't know what they were missing.

"That would be convenient, wouldn't it?" Vanessa asked, squinting up at Loki in the bright sun, bringing Loki back in the moment. Loki smiled and nodded, recognizing his original assumption had been correct. "But unfortunately, no," Vanessa finally answered. She looked down, then looking up quickly to Loki, realization donning her face. "Although, if that's the way they do things in Asgard, then hey – beam me up," she suggested, another confident smile on her face. Loki laughed, amused by the fact that Vanessa was in fact correct about some aspects of Asgard. "But given that it's _not_ the way we do things here on Earth, I'm forced to have to do it the hard way," she said, cocking her head slightly in Loki's direction. Loki raised an eyebrow at her. "I just like to tell myself whatever doesn't kill me only makes me stronger," she stated, shrugging slightly. Loki raised his eyebrows, figuring that was viable enough, but silly at the same time. Oh well - when in Rome. "So anyway, I am going to allow my phone to sync up with both Zordon and this wonderful device," she said, reaching into her pocket and turning on her smartphone, the screen adjusting itself and loading the program Zordon supported. Making a few more taps to the screen, it was synced with the probe in her hand and ready to begin its readings. "Alright," she said, looking to Loki. "Bombs away," she said, raising her eyebrows and began to drop the camera down into the hole, feeding it into the vent. Dropping into the dark abyss, the caverns underneath became alive with vibrancy on the screen of the monitor while Vanessa's phone pulsated to life, immediately reading measurements below ground.

_________________________________________________________________________

Nearly an hour had passed, where Loki and Vanessa had spent most of their time at Old Faithful, focusing on getting a glimpse of the inside of the geyser, as well as taking temperature readings, rock samples, and capturing vent emissions. Venturing away and across Firehole River, Loki looked behind him as Old Faithful was already beginning its next eruption. Vanessa had made sure to watch the time, in order to get out of there before the next eruption, but he also had a feeling she didn't necessarily need a watch to rely on. He shifted the canvas bag on his shoulder as he followed Vanessa across the bridge and toward what was known as Geyser Hill.

It was an arid looking landscape, scarred by hundreds of years of hydrothermal activity, the land scorched almost white by the superheated water from the geysers. But as Loki viewed it, he could clearly see the sources of the scarred landscape, the steam from the dozens of geysers wafting high into the air. Some geysers were actively erupting, creating a show for the tourists walking by and admiring the sights. Loki glanced at some of the tourists, but made sure to keep his head low. He wondered how they might react, knowing he was here in their midst. A small part of him smiled at the sense of power being unknown within them. Almost like a snake, silently slithering through the grass, unknown to the prey it hunted. Reveling in this thought, he was interrupted by Vanessa's voice as she called to him to catch up with her.

"Keep your wits about you," she warned, looking back to him. "We're about to venture off the path," she stated, referring to their trek off the boardwalk and paths and away from the tourists. Loki smiled. Had she been reading his thoughts? He certainly had his wits about him, but not quite regarding the terrain. Loki took a few large strides to catch up with her. "Now walk only where I walk. Do _not_ stray from me. Not unless you like falling through the ground and dying a superheated death," she warned, taking a step from the path and onto the arid landscape. She took deliberate steps, making sure to place her feet in particular spots. Allowing her senses to guide her, she took note of weak spots in the ground, where boiling water resided just below the surface, making sure to avoid them. Signs existed all throughout the park, warning visitors not to stray from the paths. Geothermic landscapes were known for their deceiving nature, making one think the ground was solid beneath his or her feet, but in reality was nothing more than a thin layer of rock above superheated water. Quite a few people had lost their lives over the years in Yellowstone that way, among other ways to die in the park. And there were always those who ignored the warnings and tried their luck, typically ending not too prettily for the visitor. Vanessa wasn't about to let that happen to herself or Loki. Although, she could guess quite a few people out there might not mind seeing him succumb to such a fate. But she pushed the thought out of her mind as she looked back to him, making sure he was following her exactly. She saw the determination in his eyes as he placed his footing exactly in her steps, and smiled at his effort. He certainly was giving it his best, and she could admire that in and of itself. He may be a prisoner here, but she could tell he was aiming to make the best of it. And that was something she could respect – if it was in fact a genuine effort. She looked ahead of her.

She wasn't quite sure just why she had taken this character under her wing, or why she trusted him, for lack of a better word. It wasn't that she trusted him, but more like she identified with him. Having a rough past herself, filled with poor decisions and very real consequences, she understood what it was to fail and carry the responsibility which went along with it. It was hard to explain. She knew keeping him in their midst wasn't the wisest of ideas, given his history. She had better reason to side with Adam, and use caution around Loki rather than acceptance. But she couldn't help feel a helping hand was what Loki required. There wasn't anything concrete to back up her feelings; it was just something deeper she felt inside. She certainly knew if she were in the same situation, it was what she would hope someone would do for her. She honestly didn't know what to expect from Loki in the future, and it might come to bite her in the end. But she also knew there was only one way to find out, and currently, her instinct was telling her to continue down the path she was on with him. Wherever that might lead.

Continuing on and looking ahead, Vanessa spotted the geyser she had been eager to study, among others. She spotted the steaming vent, about half the size of a car. Loki stopped at her side, looking to the vent and then to her.

"Which one is this?" he asked.

"Loki, I'd like you to meet Giantess Geyser. Giantess, meet Loki," she said, gesturing to the geyser.

"Um," he said, his eyes darting to the steaming hole in the ground. "Hello," he greeted strangely. The geyser continued to steam, the vapors gently flowing into the air. Vanessa squinted up to Loki.

"She's shy," she smiled up at him. She knelt down to the ground feeling it below her touch. She allowed her senses to better interlace themselves with the geyser. "She's an oldie but goody," she said, looking back up to Loki. "She may very well be even older than you are," she commented, gauging the age of the geysers in this area on the scale of hundreds of thousands of year old. Loki raised a brow. "She's quiet most of the time. Only erupting a few times a year. But once she blows, she really gives you an earful," Vanessa went on. She patted the ground gently. "But, we're here to talk to her," she explained. "You know, give her some therapy. Get to know her feelings. Let her know we're here for her," she continued. Loki smiled, finding amusement at Vanessa's ability to give personality to an otherwise static feature.

"I'm sure she'll appreciate that," he responded, kneeling down beside Vanessa.

"I hope so. I figure we at least need to let her know there are those here who want to hear her story and understand her," Vanessa smiled. Loki looked over to Vanessa.

"Sounds nice," he smiled genuinely at her. She smiled back, maintaining eye contact with Loki briefly. She raised an eyebrow at him, unsure of what he was trying to communicate, but broke her gaze from him and looked to his pack once again.

"Hand me the camera again, would you?" she asked, breaking their small moment. Loki allowed a small smile form on his face and shook his head lightly, then turning his attention on the bag once more.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

"You guys still working?" a voice called over to them as Vanessa and Loki made some last notations and measurements. "Over achievers," Adam called toward them once more. Vanessa looked in his direction and strained her neck from her lying position on the ground over her clip board.

"Maybe you guys are slackers," she called back, countering Adam's attack. Positioning herself more comfortably she noticed not only were Adam and Stephen making their way back to her, but also Jesse and Gabe not far behind them. She looked to her watch. Surely enough that much time hadn't passed since they started, had it?

"What happened? You get so caught up in your work you forgot about the time?" Adam asked, approaching them.

"Nah," Vanessa responded, waving him off. "Loki and I were just so caught up in our flirting, we couldn't help but get lost in each other," she smirked up at him. Loki offered a similar smirk, then looking to Adam, who raised a fist, a warning and ready strike in Loki's direction.

"I told you buddy," he said, warning him. But Loki only stared him down, unafraid of Adam and his apparent fury.

"What can I say? I guess geysers just do that to a man," he offered, smirking back to Vanessa. Vanessa looked back to him.

"It's the stuff of love stories I tell you," she stated, looking longingly at Loki, but a mischievous smile riding her lips. The rest of the team caught up with Adam and Stephen, catching the end of the conversation.

"What now?" Gabe asked, curious of what he missed.

"Oh," Vanessa started, continuing to look up at them. "Loki and I are just making Adam jealous. Planning our wedding and stuff," she joked, smiling widely. She looked over to Loki. "I was thinking about white lilies instead of roses for the ceremony. What about you honey?" she asked, batting her eyes at him, her hand underneath her chin. Loki smiled, catching on quickly.

"Anything you want darling," he replied, nodding. Vanessa looked back up to Adam.

"Do I know how to pick 'em or what?" she asked. But Adam looked less than enthused, his arms crossed.

"Alright, alright, that's enough," he replied, clearly not amused.

"What? You don't approve? What's not to like?" she asked, gesturing to Loki. But Adam maintained his narrowed eyes upon her.

"Oh, I might be able to think of a few things," he replied, his eyes darting to Loki. Vanessa smiled.

"Oh come on, I don't think you really want the best for me Adam. Think about it," she said, looking to Loki and then back to Adam. "If I married him, I'd become a princess," she pointed out, her eyes wide. Loki looked over to her nodding, but raised his eyebrow.

"Well, sort of," he replied, referring to his current excommunication from the position within the kingdom.

"Yeah," Adam scoffed, his eyes landing on Loki. "Princess of darkness," he spat.

"Now, now," Vanessa warned. "He's not Beelzebub," she commented, resting her arm over her clipboard. Adam's eyes went wide.

"Oh yeah? Try telling that to all the people whose lives were ruined at his hands," he jabbed back, referring to Loki's endeavors in New York. Vanessa adopted a discouraged expression, and then looked over to Loki.

"There is that," she acknowledged. Loki furrowed his brow.

"Whose side are you on, anyway?" he asked.

"Mine," she answered succinctly, smiling widely back at him. She could tell he wasn't exactly amused, but he appeared to let it go as soon as it had been mentioned. Vanessa relaxed and pushed herself up, standing around the perimeter of her and Loki's site like the rest of her team. She stretched briefly. "Yeah well, I wouldn't marry him anyway," she said, staring at Adam. Loki looked on, intrigued. "I told you, the future father of my children is Captain America," she reassured. Loki shot her a perturbed glance, while Adam smirked. "That man," she started, a dreamy quality to her voice. "I mean really. _The_ most beautiful man on Earth," she stated. Adam looked in Loki's direction.

"She means, next to _me_ , of course," he commented, pointing to himself.

"Of course," Loki replied, not too enthusiastically. Vanessa smirked, and looked around at the rest of her team, who although appeared entertained with the banter, also looked as though they were beat and ready to head back home. Determining to end the little show between herself, Adam and Loki, Vanessa knelt down, grabbing her clipboard, placing it into her backpack. She stood up, shouldering the straps.

"So, done with your studies kids?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.

"If you say we are," Jesse responded to her left. Vanessa looked once again to her watch, which promptly displayed 4:45 pm. Given this wasn't an overnight expedition, it was certainly beyond quitting time.

"I think it's safe to say the day is over," Vanessa determined, looking back up to her men.

"Awesome. I'm starving," Gabe commented, looking to the rest if the team. Everyone else appeared to share Gabe's sentiments, nodding in agreement.

"Alrighty then," Vanessa responded, looking around at her men. "Let's get the heck out of here," she said, waving them on, and started heading toward the boardwalk which lead back to the visitor center. As they walked, they enjoyed the cooler evening air, the sky still blue, but already adopting slight hues of nighttime approaching.

"Hey, you guys up to practice after dinner? While we were working, Jesse and I were discussing some new takes on a few melodies we've been playing around with," Gabe asked as they made their way back. Adam's ears perked up along with Stephen's at the mention of their band.

"I'd be down for that," Adam replied, looking over to Stephen, who also appeared to nod in agreement.

"We think you'll like what we came up with," Gabe continued, an air of excitement about him. While the men continued to discuss their musical endeavors, Loki groaned as he walked next to Vanessa. Vanessa looked over to him, furrowing her brow.

"Are they that terrible?" she asked, watching her men walk ahead of herself and Loki. He looked over to her, not realizing his groan had been audible. A small expression of guilt formed on his face.

"Oh, no," he admitted. "It's fine," he shrugged. He looked back to her. "I just don't get much sleep when they decide to practice," he admitted. He wasn't sure if he should have let her know, but it was too late now.

"Oh," Vanessa replied, furrowing her brow, looking ahead of her. "That's unfortunate," she commented, as they continued to walk. Loki nodded slightly. It certainly was. Vanessa looked back over to him, squinting her eyes in thought. "So that’s why you look so sleepy in the lab," she noted. Loki turned his head quickly back to Vanessa.

"I had hoped you hadn’t noticed," Loki admitted. Vanessa smiled slightly.

"Hey, I'm relieved to know it wasn't out of boredom," she admitted. Loki adopted a sly grin.

"Well," he began slowly, admitting there was that aspect too. But his fatigue was caused far more by the music than his boredom. Vanessa narrowed her eyes at him, but relaxed.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I somehow doubt Geology was your thing back on Asgard, or wherever the heck it is you're from," she surmised, rolling her eyes. Loki lightly smiled, acknowledging her thoughts. "That's what I get, for taking in strays," Vanessa commented. She looked over to Loki. "As I’ve said, beggars can't be choosers," she smiled wryly over to him, shrugging slightly.

"Very true," Loki replied, identifying with the statement heavily. He certainly wasn't in the position for being a chooser, given his circumstances. He had to do the best with what he was handed – and so far it wasn't working out too badly. With a few exceptions.

"Hurry up you losers," Adam called, holding the door open for everyone as they approached the visitor center doors. Loki furrowed his brow.

"Who you callin' a loser?" Vanessa asked, her eyes narrowed at him as she approached.

"Not you, of course, your highness," he smiled, bowing and gesturing her and Loki in. Loki kept his eye on Adam as he passed him as well.

"So am I to surmise _I_ am the one you call loser then?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well, you kind of are, aren't you?" Adam asked, a certain genuine aspect to his voice. Loki maintained his perturbed expression. "I mean, you kind of _lost_ everything, didn't you?" he asked. He outstretched his arms. "So you're like, the _expert_ loser," he deduced excitedly, as though he had come to some new revelation.

"That's enough Adam," Vanessa warned, making her way down the hallway and into their lab.

"Am I wrong?" he called back.

"All the time," she returned, disappearing into the lab. Adam let the door shut as Loki looked back to him.

"She just hates it when I'm right," Adam replied assuredly. "Like I said, hard to get," he nodded, winking.

"I'm sure that's it," Loki replied, a sly smile on his lips. Following the rest of the team into the lab, Loki lightly shook his head. Yes, there were definitely a few exceptions to contend with when it came to being a beggar. But at least it kept things interesting.


End file.
